HYDERABAD, June 23: Sindh University Vice-Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui has said that education must be given top priority and added that only through collective efforts the cause of education can be promoted.

He was speaking at the launching ceremony of a teachers' training journal, Akhbar-i-Taleem, published by the Teachers Training College, here on Tuesday. The VC said that the quality of education in Sindh had deteriorated during the last several years as people associated with education had not played their due role for improvement in the quality of education.

Mr Siddiqui said that without education, no improvement in the society could be expected and added that teachers' training was a key factor in improving the standard of education. He said that Akhbar-i-Taleem would play a leading role in training of teachers.

He held out an assurance that the Sindh University would extend its all out support and cooperation for the training of teachers and promotion of Akhbar-i-Taleem. Speaking on the occasion, noted educationist Dr G.A. Allana said that research articles must be included in the journal and teachers should be motivated to write for it.

He said that the teachers' college had produced a number of educators who had also edited Akhbar-i-Taleem during their service. He criticised the current issue of Akhbar-i-Taleem and said that it must be published as a research journal instead of a newsletter.

Dr Mehboob Ali Shaikh, Director-General, Provincial Institute of Teachers' Education, said that 85 per cent posts of teachers were lying vacant in the PITE. He said that for appointment of teachers at primary and secondary level, the PTC and CT courses had been essential but recently the condition of PTC and CT had been waived by the provincial education department.

He said that there were difficulties in the revival of Akhbar- i-Taleem and assured that it would include research articles in future. Professor Qalandar Lakyari highlighted the importance of education, teachers' training and the role of Akhbar-i-Taleem.

He said that due to commercialization of education, the importance of education has been sidelined. Paying tribute to the senior teachers, he said that they had worked with dedication.

Dr Habibullah spoke on the history of the Teachers' Training College and Akhbar-i-Taleem. Professor Roshan Ali Panhwar, Principal of the Teachers' Training College (men) pointed out the problems faced by them in the teachers' training.

He said that Akhbar-i-Taleem would play its due role for the teacher's education and training as it was a training-oriented journal. Professor Idrees Jatoi, Dr Qasim Bughio and Inam Shaikh also expressed their views on this occasion.

SU LAND DONATION: The University of Sindh announced on Wednesday that it had donated six acres of land at the Jamshoro campus to the Save Our Souls, an NGO, for establishment of a village for orphans.

In this connection, a delegation, led by Dr Rafiq Mustafa Shah and including SOS chairman Yaqoob Ali Zamindar and president Syria Anwar, visited the university and met Vice-Chancellor University Mazharul Haq Siddiqui.

The delegation thanked the vice-chancellor for his interest in establishing the orphans' village and the donation of the piece of land. It also appreciated the support from the Sindh University syndicate for approving the donation of the plot.

The delegation said that the SOS had established 24 villages for orphans all over the country including three in Sindh. The vice-chancellor said that it was the responsibility of the society to take care of orphans and make them good citizens.

Registrar, University of Sindh, Dr Saeed Ahmed Soomro, Director, Estate, Mohammad Usman Mangi, and other university officials were also present on the occasion. The delegation also visited the site of the proposed village behind the building of the Bureau of Curriculum.