LAHORE: Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Dr Nizamuddin has said the colonial system is no more in vogue in the country and the education system, including the development of curriculum, is being run by the Pakistani academic community.

Dr Nizamuddin said this at the launch of “ Nau-abadiatti Taleemi Dhaanchey ka Tasalsal”, a book by Muhammad Masood Khalid, at Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture on Tuesday.

He said science and technology as well as scientific approach was same all over the world and there could neither be geographical nor political agendas. He said sociology could vary from one country to another.

He said it was a misunderstanding in the country that foreign forces were funding in the education sector to pursue their agenda in the country.

He said Unesco did not give funds for the running of Education For All programme but technical support and organisation of seminars etc. Similarly, he said, the World Bank did not give grants but loans and it was government’s decision that how the money should be spent.

The PHEC chairman said the degree programmes in vogue were no more benefiting the youth as we needed technical skills in the curriculum.

He said the PHEC would also focus on philosophy and social sciences. He said the primary and higher education needed to be focused for improvement simultaneously.

Inter-Universities Consortium chairman Prof Dr Nasir Ali said only eight per cent of the people were able to access the university education. He said the higher education had a great role in putting nations on the path of development.

When public schools offered low quality education, he said, the demand would automatically be generated for private schools.

Beaconhouse National University’s Dr Tariq Rehman, Dr Anwaar Ahmed, Ashfaq Saleem Mirza and writer Khalid Masood also spoke.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014