LAHORE: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director in Pakistan Gregory Gottlieb on Wednesday unveiled a plaque marking the inauguration of Hope Tower, the agency-funded women’s hostel at the Forman Christian College.

FCC Rector Dr James A. Tebbe, US Consul General in Lahore Zachary Harkenrider and USAID Director in Punjab Jeffrey Bakken accompanied him. The $6 million six-storey project will provide on-campus housing to 384 girl students from remote areas of the country.

“The US government is fully committed to supporting and strengthening education in Pakistan, particularly reducing the gender gap in higher education,” remarked Mr Gottlieb. “By providing a secure all-female on-campus residence, the United States is encouraging women from across the country to pursue higher education,” he added.

Rector Dr Tebbe said the new women’s hostel would further help the FCC recruit nationally and provide a secure environment for female students that meets the cultural standards of Pakistan. This would also support college’s aim of increasing women’s enrolment to 50pc of the student body, he said.

US Consul General Harkenrider said the inauguration of the women hostel had marked a milestone that celebrated not only US’ partnership with this prestigious educational institution but also reaffirmed the US’ long-term commitment to supporting education in Pakistan.

Farah Shah, a student who has moved into the hostel from Chitral, spoke of the advantages of living on campus. “My parents are happy that I live in such a clean and safe environment,” she said, “and I am happy that I can study and participate in co-curricular activities without worrying about the commute.”

The new hostel at FC College is part of a comprehensive education programme being implemented by the US in Pakistan. This programme includes a $160 million Pakistan Reading Project; construction or rehabilitation of more than 850 schools; construction of 16 state-of-the-art Faculty of Education buildings at universities; establishment of Centers for Advanced Studies in Water, Agriculture and Food Security, and Energy at four Pakistani universities; English skills education for more than 5,000 low-income students; and awards of more than 4,800 scholarships for university students through the Pakistan-USAID Merit and Need Based Scholarship Programme.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2014