Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Friday said that the educational institutions play a pivotal role in our lives, therefore we must pay back to our alumni for their uplift and support of the deserving students.“Sindh government is working hard to reach out students so that their education may not affect,” he added.
The chief minister was speaking at the first award of Ma’jee scholarship ceremony organized by NED University to deserving students of NED University here. The programme was attended by Vice Chancellor NED University Dr Sarosh Lodhi, NEDIAN Association office bearers, Engineer Aftab Rizvi, parents of the students and students.
The CM recalled his old days when he had got admission in the NED. “Except a few of my college classmates I had no friends at the university but then made a lot of friends who have become my brothers and family members,” he said.
Murad Ali Shah said that he had won two scholarships for his double masters in USA and “Alhamdulillah I have repaid both the scholarships so that another deserving student can avail them,” he said and added he had also taken ‘Qarse hasna’ (a loan for education) which he has also cleared.
Talking about the ceremony, Murad said that he was pleased to launch Ma’ Jee scholarships established in 2022. “I am sure that distinguished guests are wondering why this scholarship programme has been named Ma’ Jee,” he questioned and then replied through this programme, the NED and the NEDIAN aimed to realize the dreams of mothers who have not been able to afford education for their children at the prestigious NED university. The chief minister said that the endowment fund meant for scholarships was not merely a financial support for the deserving students, but it was an initiation, a symbol, and a celebration of the bond between mothers, their children and the university/institution, without which Pakistan would not be what she was today.
Murad Shah said that the compassionate and dotted hearts of mothers right from the birth of their children dream of brilliant careers for them, only letting sky be their limit. However, with the passage of time, as their children grow, their mothers’ dreams start to fade in the midst of challenges of resources and cost of education,” he said and added that with the establishment of scholarship programme, the NED, the NEDIAN and the donors have not only revived the dreams of mothers but have strengthened their commitment of educating their children at NED.
The Chief Minister (CM) congratulated the NED University administration, the alumni, and donors for taking such a commendable initiative for establishing a fund with Rs 70 million seed money that has translated into scholarships.Murad Shah said that the NED has distributed scholarships to 105 deserving students amounting to Rs100,000 per student per year from this fund.
He said that he has been told that the custodians of the fund have a plan to raise the fund to Rs 500 million, thereby the scholarships for over 750 deserving students at the university every year.
