PESHAWAR: The provincial task force on higher education will present its recommendations to the chief minister in the first week of September aimed at improving the performance of the education sector.

Secretary higher education department Kamran Afridi announced this during a meeting held at the Khyber Medical University on Wednesday.

He said the provincial government was committed to addressing the challenges faced by the higher education sector with special focus on universities, according to a statement issued here.

Mr Afridi highlighted that the government was actively working on short, mid and long-term strategies to uplift the sector, and in this regard praised the efforts of the task force on higher education, which is working under KMU Vice-Chancellor Dr Ziaul Haq.

“The progress made by the task force so far is commendable,” he said, adding the panel was expected to finalise its recommendations by the end of this month, which will be presented to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in the first week of next month.

Members of the task force also attended the meeting.

The secretary higher education emphasised the crucial role the universities were playing in societal prosperity, particularly through research, guiding the assessment and resolution of various challenges.

However, he acknowledged that due to a lack of resources and prioritisation, the higher education sector had not yet achieved the level of research excellence required in today’s world. He reiterated the government’s awareness of these issues and affirmed that necessary practical steps were being taken to address them.

Mr Afridi stressed the importance of universities focusing on modern sources of knowledge and research, rather than relying on traditional methods. “Our universities must prioritise the needs of society and the market,” he said, adding the varsities should explore public-private partnership models, research, innovation, and commercialisation approaches to address their financial challenges.

The secretary higher education also launched the monsoon plantation campaign by planting saplings in the lawn of the university. He also visited the university’s modern e-examination centre, commending the advancements made in the institution.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024