Women must use education for national uplift: governor

664 MPhil/MS, 24 out of total 48 PhD degrees awarded to women at GCU convocation

LAHORE

The first session of the 14th Convocation of Government College University (GCU) was held here on Friday in which 664 MPhil/MS and 48 PhD degrees were awarded to the students besides seven co-curricular medals, 24 out of total 48 PhD degrees were awarded to female students.The convocation was organised in three sessions. One was held on Friday which was presided over by Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana. The remaining two sessions will be held on Saturday (today). During the two days, 1,970 degrees would be conferred upon the graduating students in more than 30 disciplines; 1,005 of these degrees would be conferred upon the female students. 

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana said women must use their education for development of country and welfare of its people. He believed that Pakistan was now re-emerging as a peaceful state under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif - courtesy the successful Zarb-e-Azb and Karachi Operation for which the country's armed forces and law enforcement agencies had rendered commendable sacrifices.

The governor said it was a matter great pride for him to attend the GCU convocation as Chancellor because his son, who was a barrister now, had also studied there. 

In his convocation report, GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah said the country didn't need an education system anymore that was just capable of producing well-trained professionals who could fit into the huge machine of our national economy. Rather, he said, education system must be geared towards grooming leaders, not followers, who had the spirit of inquiry, integrity, equity and humaneness.

He, in his report, detailed the challenges being faced by GCU which included shortage of senior faculty. He said when he joined as VC few months ago, he found no dean, seven of eight research chairs were vacant, Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Science had been virtually closed and there were ad hoc appointments on all statutory posts.

Prof Shah highlighted that they had started academic audit of all programmes so that the entire gap could be filled and an effective monitoring system was also put in place.

Some female PhD holders while talking to media at the convocation said laws for social protection of women were no doubt good initiatives, but ultimately it was education that practically empowered a woman. 

The GCU would honour its position-holders for the BA/BSc (Honours) programmes on Saturday (today). The total 1,970 degrees, to be awarded at the three sessions of convocation, also included 996 degrees of BA/BSc (Hons) and 226 of MA/MSc, and 22 co-curricular and seven sports rolls of honour.