The federal government has approved a development project costing Rs 1637.652 million for Sindh Madrasatul Islam University (SMIU) at Karachi for provision of higher education for the students of urban and rural Sindh.
The project would be executed by Higher Education Commission (HEC) at SMIU Malir, Karachi. The facility would pave the way for the students belonging to Sindh to get higher education to improve their careers.
According to available documents, the recently held CDWP approved the release of Rs 150 million allocation from the PSDP for the project for the year 2017-18. The project was finalised by SMIU vice chancellor in consultation with the statuary bodies and the technical committee to maximise socio-economic benefits from the proposed project.
It was also decided at the meeting that the project activities would be executed in a professional and disciplined manner by the institute considering all codal, legal and procedural formalities.
A Power, Development and Works office had already been established by the university. Furthermore, the requisite skilled manpower had also been proposed to take up and facilitate the execution. The project management unit (PMU) would be headed by the project coordinator to implement the project.
Per documents available with Pakistan Today, the period of completion and expected date of completion of the project was 36 months. The SMIU would be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the project.
The sector strategy of the project would be to ensure accessibility of the students from less-developed areas to higher learning institutions.
The project objectives were in line with sectoral objectives of the government and HEC for the provision of conducive environment in all educational institutions through infrastructure development, and support to faculty and students.
The only income from the project would be tuition fee, and about 300-350 students would get admission in the institute and get quality education. Moreover, at least 6-10 experienced staff would be hired to execute the project activities during its implementation period.
Presently, a total of 2,033 students were enrolled in various degree programmes at SMIU. Almost 100-150 professional, skilled and unskilled job opportunities would also be generated through contractors and consultants.
The SMIU is a charted varsity, duly recognised by the HEC. It is one of the oldest institutions in South Asia and was established 132 years ago as a school. Quaid-e-Azam also studied at this institution for about four and half years from 1887-92.
