20000309

Higher education

CE calls for

involvement

of private sector

RAWALPINDI: Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called on private sector and educationists to use indigenous resources for development of education into an industry on scientific lines.

"The market forces and the educationists should work together for the best possible use of indigenous resources, developing education as an industry on scientific lines with some of the public sector institutions acting as a role model," he said in his address at the 2nd International Postgraduate Convocation of National University for Science and Technology (NUST).

Referring to the deteriorating standard of education in the country, he said: "To stem the rot, I have urged, among other things, involvement of private sector in the field of higher education without sacrificing the legitimate interests of our talented students and their exploitation by the private sector."

He said country's primary and secondary education presented a dismal picture while centres of higher learning had registered a nominal increase in numbers only but not in quality.

The Chief Executive eulogised NUST as one of the success stories in Pakistan.

Earlier Rector National University of Sciences and Technology, Lt Gen Syed Shujaat Hussain (Retd) in his welcome address highlighted the major activities and progress of NUST.ÑAPP