ISLAMABAD: 7,738 graduates including 298 PhD, 3359 M.Phil, 1198 M.Sc, and 2883 BS were conferred degrees in the 10th Convocation of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) here on Thursday. The Chancellor of QAU, Dr. Arif Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan awarded the degrees to graduates. While addressing the convocation the President stressed the universities to provide quality education to the students as it was the foremost requirement for the country’s development. He directed the education ministry and Higher Education Commission (HEC) to support universities in designing courses and departments in accordance with the demand for jobs in the market. Referring to the shortage of professionals, especially in the medical field in the country, the president advised female professionals not to sit at home after completing their degree. The president said the literacy rate in the country was alarmingly low as over 20 million or 40% of children were currently out of school. He said to accommodate all the children at once, the government would need 55000 more schools which would be unaffordable for it. He feared that this huge number of out-of-school children could become a burden for the country in the future. He said the mosques could be utilized for providing education besides the use of the latest technology to educate the children while sitting at home. Caretaker Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Madad Ali Sindhi on the occasion said the government was promoting education at every level. He said he had directed to provide all basic facilities to the schools in Islamabad as without basic facilities, the quality of education could not be improved. Earlier Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar (S.I.) Vice Chancellor Quaid-i-Azam University, briefed the chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, and the audience regarding the achievements and future plans of the University. He said as a premier institution of higher education in the country, Quaid-i-Azam University has the potential to make significant contributions to the sustainable development and economic growth of the nation. The Vice Chancellor said, recently the university has launched a comprehensive strategy to take its vision into the future. “The current management of the university has taken swift steps to put the university on the path of excellence and development by adopting a holistic approach. Our plan involves optimizing administrative processes by identifying and addressing inefficiencies to save time and resources. We also aim to implement digital solutions across campus services and administrative processes in the near future” said the Vice Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the parents, teachers, and graduates for their excellent dedication and performance.