SWABI: Special assistant to the chief minister on higher education & information, Kamran Khan Bangash, announced on Wednesday to establish the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s first women IT park at the Women University Swabi.

He was addressing the concluding session of a two-day training workshop on associate degree programme at the varsity here.

“We want to promote soft skills and skill-based programmes among our youth.

“The contemporary needs of today are to educate our youth on modern lines and facilitate them in order to ensure societal progress. I am so happy to listen to the thoughts of Vice-Chancellor Prof Shahana Urooj Kazmi on the introduction of skill-based and modern-day disciplines in the university, and am ready to support in every possible manner,” he said.

Mr Bangash said the government wanted to take academia and universities on board in policy making process of higher education. “I urge the seats of higher learning to provide better facilities to their teachers and facilitate their students.”

The CM’s assistant lamented the fact that the youth were losing interest in reading books.

He informed the audience that out of six million population of Peshawar, only 2,500 people were registered members of the Peshawar Central Library.

He called for the universities to promote reading culture among the youth.

“We must provide counseling facilities to our youth. There is no dearth of talent in the youth of KP. The government is providing them the right direction which will benefit them a lot,” he added.

Mr Bangash lauded the leadership and vision of the vice-chancellor of the Women University Swabi and assured her of full support in her future endeavours.

Prof Urooj Kazmi thanked Kamran Bangash for facilitating in the establishment of the first women IT park at the varsity and emphasised on the need of introduction of modern-day teaching disciplines rather than conventional ones.

“Our priority is to educate our women so that they can compete in every field of life as empowerment of women is vital for societal development,” she said.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2020