Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN) and the Majlis-e-Fikr-o-Danish jointly organized a one-day seminar here Wednesday to chart the right course for the survival of universities and the overall education sector of the province. Brig. Gul, head of BTTN, extended warm welcome to the guests, highlighting the importance of education and the current status of education ranging from primary to higher education.
Moreover, in his critical analysis, he stated that meritocracy must be the guiding principle in educational and administrative practices, skill and technology development should be prioritized over mere acquisition of degrees. Mateen Akhundzada highlighted a critical oversight in the implementation of the 18th Amendment and emphasized that the failure to establish a Provincial Higher Education Commission (PHEC) represented a significant shortcoming. He called for immediate corrective measures to address this issue.
In their insightful address, the speakers including Ajmal Khan, Muslim Panezai, and Professor Dr. Masooda Shah called for a paradigm shift in how politicians and government officials approach education. They urged for a positive and robust strategy toward universities, advocating for a change in perspective to foster higher education and research opportunities. The current needs of all educational institutions, including ten public universities and numerous private and public schools in the province, must be met to prevent looming crises, they noted.
They said that a comprehensive review and implementation of the 18th Amendment and the Universities Act 2022 were imperative. An integrated and result-oriented action plan is essential for the advancement of Balochistan’s educational landscape, the added. The seminar concluded with a consensus on the urgent need for a modern mechanism to enhance primary education which is a nursery for higher education.—APP
