Promotion of education government’s top priority, says Jhagra

Confers degrees on 470 students as UoP holds convocation

PESHAWAR: Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said on Wednesday that University of Peshawar (UoP) was the mother institution of KP, which has provided outstanding professionals to the country.

Speaking at the annual convocation of the UoP as chief guest, the governor, who is also chancellor of the university, said that he himself had graduated as engineer from this alma mater in 1969. Vice-Chancellor UoP Prof Dr Muhammad Rasul Jan and Registrar Dr Syed Fazli Hadi were also present.

Former Federal Minister Dr Noorul Haq Qadri was amongst the graduates, who was awarded PhD degree in Islamiyat in the well-attended event.  A total of 470, including 45 PhDs were awarded degrees, while 25 were given gold medals for their outstanding performance.

The governor said that promoting education was the priority of his government that was why education emergency was announced in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to enhance literacy rate. He added that after assuming charge he made Fata University in Akhurwal functional where education activities started.

The governor added that quality of education was a key towards the socio-economic uplift of the country and more focus was being paid to education to achieve this longstanding goal. Prof Dr Rasul Jan in his address said that the university was fast moving towards contributing more to the knowledge economy.

He added that the UoP had opened new disciplines as per demand of the job market. He said that the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, Department of Regional Studies had been made operational.The vice-chancellor said admissions to the Department of Criminology and Forensic Sciences had started which would lead to production of skilled graduate of the field.

Meanwhile, a graduate of the university refused to receive a degree from the governor. Nabi Shah, a graduate of journalism and mass communication, refused to receive his degree. Nabi Shah is a supporter of PTI and he said he didn’t want to receive his degree from the nominee of the federal government, which according to him was corrupt.