HYDERABAD: A total of 598 successful students — 483 graduates, 95 postgraduates and 20 PhDs — received their degrees at the 9th convocation of the Sindh Agriculture University, Tando­jam, held here on Thursday.

Eighteen gold and 28 silver medals were awarded to best students of different faculties, departments, disciplines and extra-curricular activities.

Speaking at the convocation, SAU vice chancellor Dr Mujeebuddin Sahrai said that the university was implementing two dozen research projects, in addition to the already executed ones, for which Rs80 million had been set aside.

He said that half of these projects to be implemented at a cost of Rs60 million were await an approval from the sponsoring agencies.

Dr Sahrai also presented his report regarding standard of education at the university and its national and international programmes as well as a review of the academic activities and performance of the faculty and administrative staff.

Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro was the chief guest and former Sindh University vice chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui and Mehran University of Enginee­ring and Technology vice chancellor Dr Mohammed Aslam Uqaili were guests of honour.Speaking at the convocation, Mr Khuhro congratulated the successful students and observed that students should not completely depend on their teachers to teach them but also make their own efforts to learn from books, which could teach them best.

Those in the habit of book-reading could win their degrees easily, he said.

The minister highlighted significance of education and higher education and said that talented, hardworking and serious students could change the destiny of their society and nation.

Mr Khuhro told the audience that although Sindh had 14 to 15 universities until a decade ago to impart quality education, the number was not sufficient to cater to the needs of around 40 million people.

The PPP following the vision of its founder leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto pursued a policy to promote education using all available means. It also established more higher education institutions and now the province had over 40 public and private univarsities, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016