A book written by former vice-chancellor of the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) Dr Sabiha Mansoor was launched during a ceremony held in a local hotel on Tuesday.
The book, titled “Challenge Education Pakistan: Reflections of an Educationist”, is an inside account written by one of the leading educationists of the country. The book-launching ceremony was attended by noted educationists, vice chancellors and rights activists.
Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector at the Lahore School of Economics (LSE), said that Dr Sabiha is one of the bravest and courageous women he has ever met, and added that “many of us live a wonderful life but never document it. Sabiha has done it by writing the book, however”.
He shared with audience an interesting incident on a lighter note when Sabiha took the charge as the LCWU VC for the very first day, saying “an employee of the varsity was shouting and was about to commit suicide by jumping from a height of 150 feet as he had some problems with the administration of the university. It was Sabiha who persuaded that employee to come down”.
Dr Tariq Rahman, Dean at the Beaconhouse National University (BNU), said that the author has done a deep analysis of the educational policies of the country, and termed the book as an ‘academic intellectual autobiography’ written by an insider who has witnessed the educational policies very closely.
“She has huge administrative abilities as she has organised thought-provoking conferences during her stay at the LCWU, Kinnaird College, BNU and Agha Khan University of Karachi,” Rahman added.
One part of book talks about her personal experience while the second part is about the problems facing the higher education sector in Pakistan, he added. “I recommend every teacher and student to go through the book as the author has talked about the education sector of the country in detail,” the professor commented.
Dr Tayyaba Tamim, an associate professor at the Department of Social Sciences in LSE, lauded the services of Sabiha rendered to the education sector. “The text of the book aptly reveals the commitment and compassion of the author towards the education sector,” she added.
Dr Fareeha Zafar, director at the Society for the Advancement of Education, said in her address that the educational policies of Pakistan were marred by the myopic views of our rulers after the creation of Pakistan. “Sabiha has termed the women as the agents of change in her book and a woman truly becomes an agent of change when she becomes a teacher or mother,” she said, while commenting on the book.
Sabiha Mansoor, the author of the book said that she has transferred her whole experience of 40 years professional life in the book. “I headed the LCWU as its VC for four years and tried my best to further improve the prestigious institution,” she said. The LCWU is an institution where the daughter of the chief justice and the daughter of a vendor can study in the same environment, she added.
Former Government College University vice-chancellor Dr Khaliqur Rehman, Kinnaird College Principal Dr Rukhsana David and former principal of NCA Salima Hashmi were also present on the occasion.