KARACHI, June 2: Speakers at a workshop lamented the drop in enrolment at degree colleges in science disciplines. The workshop on “Chemistry education and challenges” held at the University of Karachi was participated by the academic staff of 32 affiliated colleges. It was aimed at development of chemistry teaching capabilities of the academic staff.

Karachi University’s Vice-Chancellor Pirzada Qasim, who inaugurated the workshop, lauded the efforts of the National Core Group of Chemistry in providing a helping hand to KU chemistry department in promoting chemistry as a subject.

Lamenting the drop in enrolment at degree colleges in science discipline, he questioned the rationale behind a surge towards commerce education at the cost of science and advised college teacher to convince the young generation for joining academic so that a plausible effort could get underway for changing the destiny of nation.

Dr Pirzada Qasim was of the opinion that such workshops help promote the image of Karachi University and suggested that these workshops should be held frequently. He also committed himself for his full support in any such activities of the department in times to come.

KU Chemistry Department Chairman Dr Iftikhar Imam Naqvi highlighted the importance of such workshops in the capacity building of the institutions. He was of the view that the teachers must take continuous efforts to improve their delivering potential. “This could be done by frequent visits to library,” he said.

He said that knowledge be disseminated though such examples which are in vicinity of local students’ life and not those of foreign lands. “This time around more emphasis is being given to the importance of laboratory skills as the department is better equipped with the state-of-the-art experimental facilities acquired through the HEC funding,” he said.

The workshop focused at imparting recent developments in various disciplines of chemistry. The deliberations covered a wide spectrum of different aspects of this innovative scientific field. The topics that were touched upon were the corner stone for imparting recent advances and inculcating derive for improved teaching methods for chemical information.

Prof (Dr) A.M. Qureshi gave a candid review of Boron Hydrides and Molecular Structures whereas Prof Dr Saeed Arayne presented his lecture on “Creating interests in chemistry learning at graduate level”.

Prof (Dr) Fahimuddin explained the importance of calculation in Physical Chemistry. His lecture was followed by a talk on various bonding theories by Prof (Dr) Seema Khan. Workshop had the last of its sessions dedicated to certificate distribution by Pro-VC Dr Akhlaq Ahmed. Dr Iqbal Chaudhry and Dr Zaheerul Haq Qasmi also spoke.—PPI