PESHAWAR, Sept 12: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Friday asked the government universities to reassess whether they were ready to continue with the self-finance scheme.

Presiding over a meeting of the vice-chancellors and deans of the public sector universities at the NWFP University of Agriculture, he said that since their financial resources had been enhanced sufficiently, they must identify the weak areas to strengthen them.

He said strengthening of libraries and laboratories must be given top priority.

He said imparting of education of international standard must be the educational institutions’ objective.

He agreed to a proposal for introduction of four-year graduation and advised the VCs to take up the matter with the provincial authorities concerned.

The change in this connection, he said, would require additional infrastructure and resources but it was necessary to meet the international standard of education.

A committee presided over by Hazara University VC Dr Daud Awan was constituted to prepare proposals for taking up the case.

Mr Shah expressed concern over the lack of proper system to evaluate  the performance of teachers and researchers and said there must be an in-built reward and punishment system at every level.

He said each university should ensure transparency and merit, particularly in recruitment and promotion.

A committee was constituted to finalize proposals for implementation of a performance evaluation system. The governor said possibilities must be created to seek input at all levels from the students to the top authorities of an institution.

He said the new universities at Mansehra, Malakand and Kohat must follow a uniform syllabus and calendar, particularly for examinations.