By Abdul Ghani

ISLAMABAD, Aug 17 (INP-WealthPK): The government has asked the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to design courses of entrepreneurship and export marketing for university students to enhance their employment options.

“Fast growth of exports is key to our future economic development. We have a huge youth bulge, and we need to divert their energies towards entrepreneurship and exports. Currently, our education is producing job seekers, while we need to produce job creators,” said Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal while talking to WealthPK.

The minister said the HEC has been directed to design these courses as Pakistan has to revamp its education curriculum in line with the modern needs in the globalised market.

“Further meetings and detailed discussion on this design will be corresponded with the HEC so that our youth could compete and flourish in this highly competitive age,” he stated.

An official from the HEC said the recommendation of the Planning Commission is under consideration, and the course will be designed on the advice of universities and academia with necessary input from the industrial people.

Dr Nadeemul Haq, Vice Chancellor Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Islamabad, has welcomed this initiative, and offered full cooperation and necessary input to the HEC. He expressed optimism that such steps will bring better results to the education system of Pakistan.

“Pakistan needs to revise university curriculum in line with modern needs of the industry and market. This will increase the employment level and boost innovation in the country,” Dr Nadeem said.

PIDE has been offering many such courses of entrepreneurship to students of higher studies and industry people so that their productivity could grow exponentially, he added.

Pakistan is facing some problems pertaining to academics at university level. Research and development have been not up to mark, so the outdated system of learning has been a norm even for research degrees. The development of curriculum is best fit for the market in the modern times, and initiatives for courses as directed by the Planning Ministry are inevitable to make the education system more vibrant, productive, and a source of employment to the youth bulge in Pakistan.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP