Internet for higher education institutions in KPK

We live in an advanced technological age where the countries, which have the sufficient resources, are involved in research to make our lives comfortable and convenient. The advanced countries have long been utilizing the 3G and the 4G mobile technologies whereas we in Pakistan are still dependent upon the basic 2G networks. Internet plays a pivotal role in today’s education both for the teachers as well as for the students alike. One good thing the chief minister Punjab has introduced in Lahore and surrounding cities is that all the Higher Education Institutions run by the government have free of cost internet access – be it a government university or a college. The entire premises i.e. hostels etc. do also have this facility. Exactly a year ago, in an education fair in Peshawar, I had an opportunity to talk to the then interim education minister KPK and suggested him to provide a similar facility to the students of HEIs in KPK. He promised in public but we didn’t hear back from him. May be he didn’t have the authority or the mandate to do so. Now the situation is totally changed. We have a pro-development, education-friendly PTI government in place in KPK. They can introduce this facility initially in public universities all over the province if worked well, can be replicated in the public sector colleges also. In this connection, I had a short meeting with the chief of PTI chairman’s office Mr. Naeemul Haq in Islamabad to whom this suggestion was given who appreciated the idea and gave his assurances that he would support such an initiative in KPK. It would be my request to Mr. Saleem Khan – our MPA from Chitral – to take up this matter with the education minister KPK and the CM also. The local PTI higher-ups can play a very important role in lobbying for this cause. If this facility is provided to these educational institutions, it will open up new vistas of opportunities for growth in the fields of education and research. It would be a step forward towards building up a knowledge society from an educated community. Saifuddin Saif Lahore.]]>