PESHAWAR, Aug 17: Public sector universities in the NWFP have been authorized to prepare projects worth Rs24 billion for the improvement of educational facilities and ensure presence of qualified faculty members in respective institutions.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held here on Tuesday to review five and ten-year planning for development and modernization of universities. The meeting, chaired by Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain, was attended by Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Attaur Rehman, vice-chancellors of public sector universities and other officials concerned.

The meeting decided to allocate Rs4 billion each for Kohat, Malakand and Hazara universities, whereas the University of Peshawar, NWFP UET, NWFP Agriculture University and Gomal University would chalk out projects worth Rs3 billion each.

The meeting stressed that each university must spend Rs1.5 billion on ensuring the presence of highly qualified faculty members, whereas the remaining amount of their respective share would be spent on the modernization and improvement of laboratories and libraries as well as development of infrastructure facilities.

The prevailing state of affairs with regard to semester system of examinations also came under discussion and it was stressed to take initiatives to streamline it. The meeting also decided that the universities must expedite their efforts to shift their day-to-day working to e-government system.

Besides, the vice-chancellors also highlighted problems of university employees and streseed that reasonable plans in this regard would also be incorporated in the development projects.

On a point, the governor disclosed that efforts were under way to develop summer campuses for all universities within their respective jurisdictions on the line of Bara Gali and Sheringal campuses of Peshawar and Malakand universities, respectively.

Dr Attaur Rehman in his remarks said that every university must select 50 master degree holder students on a merit basis at national level every year and sponsor their Ph.Ds' education abroad.

In fact, he added each department of every university must have at least 20 Ph.D-level faculties and ensure the presence of at least 250 Ph.D-level total teachers in each university. Referring to development projects, he said that apart from master planning each university should chalk out yearly planning as well.