HYDERABAD, Dec 25: Speakers on the second day of the three-day Petarians' convention said that every child of rural Sindh has the right of access to quality education being imparted in the Cadet College Petaro.

They called upon old students of the college serving in different parts of the world to pay back and urged the college administration to adopt schools in rural areas.

In the first session, noted poet and educationist Professor Inayat Ali Khan enthralled the audience with his satirical poetry.

The speakers, Zulqadar Siddiqui, Shahid Mehmood and Shabieh Zaidi, associated with the fields of communication and education at home and abroad, said that it was time to redefine the college's mission as expenses incurred on functioning of college were collected from poor people's incomes.

During panel discussion, Abdullah Khadim Hussain, Ahmed Makhdoom (Singapore), Mehmood Baveja (Karachi), Qaisar Zaman (UK), Professor Noman Uzair (NED) and Mr Zaidi (USA) agreed that quality education was the right of all and sundry.

Mr Zaidi exhorted the audience to do something constructive and said that without bringing a social change, one could not improve standard of education.

The banker Zaman spoke against quota system in college and said that he failed to understand meaning of 'elite'.

Stressing the need for a social change, Mr Baveja called on the college management to adopt schools in rural areas.

Professor Uzair stressed the need for social commitment and pointed out that there was degradation in agriculture, education and social sectors.

Academician Makhdoom deplored that in 21st century, children of rural areas did not attend school and said that different nations formed the state of Pakistan therefore they should be recognized with their separate identities.

Winding up the discussion, Mr Hussain said that avenues should be explored to replicate institutions like the cadet college in all parts of the province.