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NATIONAL SCI-TECH SCENE
Rs9bn being spent on higher education: Atta
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman, Prof Attaur-Rahman said that the government was spending Rs5 billion on the promotion of higher education in the country and the amount would be enhanced to Rs9 billion in the near future.
Prof Rahman, who is also in charge ministry of science and technology, said the government was planning to spend Rs70 bn on various programmes of higher education spreading over the next decade.
He expressed these views at the inaugural ceremony of the 24th Pakistan Zoological Congress, organized at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).
He said, in the past, the successive governments literally ignored the education sector which failed to impart quality education in line with the international standards and requirements.
He said revolutionary changes in the field of education were expected in the next few years. The HEC chairman said under the assistance programme of the US, UK and other developed countries, the faculty members of Pakistani universities and institutes were being sent abroad for getting latest training.
“As many as 300 Pakistani expatriates living in the United States with PhD level qualifications are being requested to return home for imparting training and providing latest expertise here,” he said.
He said under the newly introduced “Tenure Track System”, the professors teaching in universities and colleges would be paid monthly remuneration four times higher than the salary drawn by federal ministers.
Five task forces set up for IT
As many as five task forces have been set up in the light of the suggestions from the information technology experts at a meeting convened by the Sindh Minister for Information Technology, Syed Mustafa Kamal.
The meeting held here on Saturday at Committee Room of the New Sindh Secretariat was attended by the IT experts from the private sector, bankers, industrialists etc, it was stated on Monday. The task forces would work towards the projects of E-government, promotion of IT in Sindh, IT education, collection of data pertaining to IT and the setting up of the call centres.
The minister told the participants of the meeting that the IT revolution has cast a positive impact on our society. He said that declaring the basic education of IT as compulsory at the school level would produce better results.
Mr Mustafa Kamal opined that this would also contribute towards bridging the digital gap between the rich and poor countries.
ISPAK files suit against PTCL
Sindh High Court issued notices to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and the Pakistan Telecommunication Limited in lawsuit of Internet Service Providers and Association, Karachi, seeking unblocking of internet telephony sites. The court also ordered defendants not to take any adverse action against the plaintiff.
It was contended by plaintiff's counsel Arshad Tayebally that there was a dispute between the PTCL and the ISPs on extending of internet telephony or Net2Phone Services.
According to him, basic telephone service is exclusive domain of the PTCL, whereas the Net2Phone is entirely different field. He submitted that the PTCL issued notice on Nov 17, 2003 whereby threatening to revoke the licence of the plaintiff.
It was stated that the PTCL, without hearing the plaintiff, had prejudice and was predetermined to take adverse action. The court directing defendants not to take any adverse action against the plaintiffs fixed the matter for April 22.
NIBGE to provide trained staff
The National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) is fully prepared to provide trained staff in biotechnology and genetic engineering. This was stated by NIBGE director Dr Ahmad Mukhtar Khalid while inaugurating the second training course on “Modern Techniques in Biotechnology” in Faisalabad on Monday.
He said 25 biotechnology institutes have been set up but there was shortage of trained staff. NIBGE has been mandated to provide training in addition to conducting research, he added.
He said NIBGE started MPhil five years ago and launched PhD programme last year. "We have just completed enrolment of second batch of PhD comprising 20 students who got scholarships from the Higher Education Commission."
Course organizer Dr Fauzia Yousuf explained the procedure for the selection of participants and details of the course. She said only 21 people had attended the first course while this year 26 were picked out of 80 applicants. A Sudanese and a Yemeni student have also been enrolled this year, she added.
28 herbs selected
The ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) has selected 28 plants for cultivation in farmers’ fields under a project to introduce medicinal herbs and species as crops, it has been learnt.
The project signifies the realization in the government that these plants could be used through sustainable methods for increasing incomes of farmers, particularly in the rain- dependent areas. The project started its activities with the provision of Rs35.774m under an investment plan spanning the period up to 2006.
It is being implemented by the ministry in collaboration with the country’s apex institutes such as Hamdard University, Karachi; Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar; Pakistan Agricultural Research Centre and its institutes such as PGRI, NARC and Arid Zone Agricultural Research Centre, Quetta. — Sci-Tech World Report
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