FAISALABAD
Through cooperation between the industries and the universities in Pakistan, economic growth could be sped up manifold, said an educationist while addressing the members of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Saturday.
“Industrialist might derive benefit from the research and testing facilities available at Agriculture University, Faisalabad,” said Arshad Jamil, in-charge of Research, Innovation and Commercialization Department.
He said that testing facilities for all business sectors is available at Agriculture University where competent faculty members and senior students were busy in research activities. “Industrialists might take benefit from their research work and testing facilities. Industries might approach us with the problems for ready solutions thereof,” he said. He also offered students internship in industries of Faisalabad. By this way, students will enrich their expertise practically with the industries while the industries can take benefit at low cost, he added. He noted that there was a weak relationship between the industries and the universities in Pakistan due to which we have lesser economic growth compared to the other countries. He said, “Like advanced economies, we should fill the gap between industry and universities in the country. He said that reforms were needed for improvement in the education standard. Allocation of 2 percent budget for education is far less compared to regional countries,” he added. In his welcome address, Mian Zahid Aslam, the president of FCCI, said that provision of health and education facilities is the responsibility of the government. At least 5 percent allocation in the federal budget for education is needed to pace up the economy growth in the country. He said that standard, number and allocation for education is higher in the US, UK, India and China and this is cause for their economic growth.
Literacy rate in Pakistan is 55 percent, India 66 percent and Sri Lanka 91 percent thus Pakistan is at 185th place in education ranking among the 204 countries in the world, he regretted.