- Mamnoon says striving hard to gain education akin to Jihad in Islam
ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday said that education played a key role in the progress and development of a nation and asked the institutions of learning to ensure provision of high-quality teaching to enable the students meet challenges of tomorrow.
Addressing the convocation of the Virtual University (VU) here at the Convention Centre, he said that education was the means to raise the moral, ethical and educational stature of the students and it was one of the reasons that striving hard to gain education were akin to Jihad in Islam, as it prepared the young to meet up the challenges of tomorrow in a befitting manner.
He said that with age, the experience also increased and expanded ones horizons and was one of the reason that the process of learning continued throughout the life. The president asked the graduating students to continue their struggle for higher education throughout their lives, as it would help them succeed in any endeavour they undertake. He said it was a tried and tested way and ensures that the process of learning never ends.
He said that for the countries with large population, it was nothing less than a challenge to ensure provision of quality education. He said that the Virtual University had performed its national obligation and it was one of the reasons that the government handed it the task of preparation of software to reach out to the maximum number of students. He expressed the hope that the university would come up to the high expectations of all.
President Mamnoon was optimist that the subjects and fields of study of the university were up to date and of high quality that meet the requirements of a modern era and prepare them to face the challenges of tomorrow. At the same time, he desired that the students and their teachers keep them abreast of the changes in the fields of science and technology while at the same time concentrating on research and development.
He said that the educational institutions should never compromise on the quality of education and must be self-reliant as using the research of other countries may not be meet local requirements. He said that the borrowed research might take more time to be utilised as it had to be made adaptable through trial and error, wasting precious time and resources. In this regard, he asked the university to focus more on research and development.
Mentioning the opportunities available after the operationalisation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, President Mamnoon said that it was vital that the young generation was prepared to accept the various new challenges and be ready to undertake different tasks. He said that peace and stability in the country was vital for the success of the CPEC and there was a need to reject all sorts of ideologies leading to extremism and terrorism, as it could create uncertainty and chaos in the society.
He asked the youth to particularly be wary of all those who were trying to create a rift and divide in the society in the garb of flowery slogans. He said that he was pleased to meet the students of the VU and congratulated them, their parents and teachers on their success.
He was particularly appreciative of the parents who struggled hard to ensure that their children get good quality education. He assured the Virtual University Rector Dr Naveed Malik of his full support in the resolution of their outstanding issues.
