ISLAMABAD, Oct 30: The government is providing maximum opportunities to the students, so that they can enjoy maximum exposure, nationally or internationally.

This was stated by education minister Zobaida Jalal while presiding over a meeting of her ministry’s officials here on Thursday.

She said top priority had been assigned to education. She said bureaucracy, had made education a tool in their hands. However, this time, no political-bureaucratic nexus will be entertained, at least in the education sector, she maintained.

Ms Jalal also directed the heads of the attached departments to spare two hours daily out of their official working timings to meet the parliamentarians and the public representatives. She, however, asked them not to give undue favours to the public representatives.

“Every case should be heard in detail and must be decided on merit,” she observed and urged the officers to keep the doors of their offices open to the common man as well.

The minister later briefed the journalists on the scholarship scheme of her ministry. She said general scholarships, academic staff scholarship and Commonwealth scholarships/fellowships were mainly offered by the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.

She said general scholarships were open to public for higher studies leading to PhDs. The final selection will be made by the donor country, she said, adding that the process was transparent and merit oriented.

About the academic staff scholarship, the minister said it was meant to enhance the qualification of working teachers in universities and institutes of higher education and research.

The offers were circulated to the universities, centres of excellence or the degree-awarding institution concerned for making suitable notifications keeping in view the criteria laid down by the donor countries. The candidates, on the basis of their academic record from Matriculation to MA/MSc and their performance in the interview, were recommended for award to the donor country for higher studies or PhD.

About the Commonwealth scholarships, the minister said the programme intended to update the knowledge of PhD teachers serving in the universities/centre of excellence or other research institutes.