HYDERABAD, Feb 24: Former chairman of the Higher Education Commission Dr Attaurehman has said that solution of many problems faced by the country lies in promotion of education for which allocation of maximum funds for education sector is needed.

He was speaking at the introductory session of the three-day Pakistan Zoology Congress organized by the department of zoology, University of Sindh, on Tuesday. Scholars and zoologists from universities of Pakistan, Iran and Bangladesh are attending the congress.

Dr Rehman said that the defence of a country did not depend on construction of roads, dams or buildings but on education. He said that the country was not investing enough for the development of education.

He said that during the last six years, education system had changed and witnessed many reforms in higher education. He said that there was a vast difference between college and university education as a university had to create new knowledge and produce job creators and not job seekers.

Referring to three universities of Asia whose convocations he had attended, he said that at the Chinwag University of China 1,100 students received PhD degrees in a single year and 33,000 students were enrolled at the university. The National University of Singapore ranked at 19th among universities of the world and its annual budget was $800 million, he said. The Institute of Information Technology, New Dehli, established in 60’s, had produced 3,000 PhD scholars in science and technology whereas all the science and technology universities of Pakistan had produced only six PhD scholars during the last 60 years, he said.

He said that universities were judged through their faculty and added that during his chairmanship of the HEC, his efforts were directed on faculty development to send them aboard for PhD.

He said that during his tenure, 4,000 scholars had been sent aboard who were selected from among 20,000 to 25,000 candidates, and added that 300 scholars had returned by completing PhD. It was now their job to provide good environment to them, he said.

He said that culture of research was developing and digital library system was available with 25,000 research journals and 45,000 e-books.

He said that now that the country had overcome financial crisis, he was hopeful that the announcement made by the prime minister about availability of funds to universities would be implemented.

University of Sindh Vice-Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui in his welcome address said that due to facilities provided by the HEC, enrolment of students had increased by 100 per cent and strength of faculty by 50 per cent in the university.

He said that during six years, assets of the university had doubled and new buildings and laboratories were constructed. He said that the university had achieved targets in higher education set by the HEC’s steering committee on reforms.

Dr. A. R Shakoori, chairman of the Pakistan Zoological Society, said that universities had witnessed a period of development during the last six years. He said that the society had been holding a zoological congress and its elections every year.

Dr Shamsuddin Shaikh, Dr Nasreen Bughio and others also expressed their views.

On this occasion, gold medals were awarded to various scholars and students. A.R Shakoor memorial gold medal was awarded to Dr Asma Saeed, Dr Mirza Azhar Baig memorial gold medal to Dr Abdul Rehman, Dr Muzaffar memorial gold medal to Sara Javed, M.H. Qadri memorial gold medal to Dr Rizwana Ghafoor, Ahmed Mohiuddin memorial gold medal to Mehtab Solangi, M. Afzal Qadri memorial gold medal to Sanam Mehboob, Professor Imtiaz

Ahmed memorial gold medal to

Javed Iqbal Khan, Professor Ahsan H. Naqvi memorial gold medal to Dr Shahida Parveen and Afsar Mian gold medal to Shaista Bibi and Nida Memon.