- Ahsan says Pakistan lacks scientists, researchers; suggests critical, analytical thinking approach
- ‘Govt to increase education budget from Rs 35 billion to Rs50 billion in upcoming budget’
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Affairs Ahsan Iqbal on Monday stressed the youth to be an inventor, researcher in future by following the vision, courage and hard work of the late Stephen Hawking, a renowned scientist who died last month in the United Kingdom.
Addressing a conference organised here by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to pay tributes to the services of Hawking, the minister said that the late scientist despite having disability work hard and gave the theory of black hole.
CURRICULUM IN FINAL PHASE: “We have lack of quality scientists and researchers to compete for the world,” he said and underlined the need of critical and analytical thinking approach in education rather than to follow cut & paste system. He said that curriculum of primary schools was in final process and its up-gradation would be completed in a current year.
After that, the new curriculum of higher secondary schools would also be prepared by the next year, he told the gathering. The minister also stressed the need for the training of teachers and heads of the schools for better results in education sector. According to the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) reports of the CSS exams, the level of the students was not satisfactory.
“Our students only follow ratta (rote learning) system,” he said, adding that this system had to be changed. He urged the vice chancellors to pay focus on research in the universities as it was the only way of development. “Our students should resolve puzzles of universe by taking part in innovation research,” he said.
The government by fulfilling its commitment would increase the budget of education sector from Rs 35 billion to 50 billion in the upcoming budget, Ahsan informed the participants. He lauded efforts of Stephen Hawking in the field of science and urged the Muslim world to make strong relation with knowledge. Recalling the history of Muslim scientists, he said that they were the creator of all modern knowledge.
In his opening remarks, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that Pakistan was a country having resources of energetic youth which would play its due role to resolve the issues facing by the country. He urged the youth to learn from the successes of the world leaders and scientists and do work hard with dedication.
Talking to the media persons, the interior minister strongly condemned the brutalities in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) by the Indian forces. He said that the voice of Kashmiri people could not be suppressed through guns, bullets and force. The Indian forces must stop the bloodshed of the innocent people, he said.
Ahsan said that the world should focus on the Kashmir issue and play their role to resolve the long standing issue. He said that the blood of the people of all religions was precious which should not be wasted. He said that the Security Council has given the right to self-determination to the Kashmiris who should not be stopped by India by using powers.
The minister said that the base of all problems in the South Asian region was only due to the lingering Kashmir issue. He said that it could be more disastrous if India use more powers to shut the voice of the people. Besides former Quaid-e-Azam University vice chancellor Prof Qasim Jan, Dr Arshad Bhatti, others also shed light on the life of Stephen Hawking.
