LONDON/QUETTA: The University of Oxford and Balochistan government have agreed to provide STEM scholarships to deserving students from the province.

The agreement was formalised at a ceremony attended by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.

The graduate scholarships will be provided under the Benazir Scholarship Programme.

The programme will offer full scholarships to talented students from the province, enabling them to pursue higher education at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.

The scholarship, designed to provide access to quality education and empower the youth of Balochistan, was supported by the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) and its benefactors.

At the start of the signing ceremony, philanthropist Sarwar Khawaja don­ated 100,000 pounds to initiate the endowment fund.

The Balochistan chief minister was accompanied by his principal secretary, Imran Zarkoon Khan, an alumnus of Oxford, who initiated the scholarship programme.

Speaking at the ceremony, CM Bugti expressed his pride and optimism for the future of Balochistan’s youth.

“We are proud to provide our students with the oppo­rtunity to study at Oxford University, where Benazir Bhutto and other great leaders have studied.”

While calling education the key to unlocking you­th’s potential, the CM said his government was committed to providing them with the best opportunities.

Ms Yousafzai also praised the initiative and appreciated Balochistan government for “taking steps towards promoting education and empowering the youth”.

She emphasised the transformative power of education in creating a brighter future for the region.The ceremony was also attended by around 150 guests, including Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar, Aamir Ibrahim and University of Cambridge Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Kamal Munir.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2024