ISLAMABAD: The National University of Modern Languages (NUML) held its 12th convocation on Wednesday at NUML auditorium. Federal Education and Professional Training Minster Shafqat Mahmood was the chief guest at the ceremony. Two hundred and six students were conferred degrees and 24 gold medals were awarded to graduates of different programmes. NUML Rector Major General (r) Zia Uddin Najam, Director General Human Resource Development GHQ Major General Najeeb Ahmed, registrar, deans, directors, heads of Departments and a large number of students along with their parents attended the convocation. While expressing his pleasure, the chief guest, Minister for Federal Education Shafqat Mahmood, congratulated the students, their parents and teachers on the successful completion of degrees. He said that those who get an opportunity to study in a university are privileged as country has 57% literacy rate and there are 200 million out of school children. He said that his ministry was striving hard to enrol all out of school children. “Since the independence, we have failed to introduce same syllabus for students of the country,” he said, adding that the incumbent government was committed to resolving the issue. He said that the government was also striving hard to raise the standards of education in the country and provide a level-playing field to all. He urged student to never lose hope, think big and try hard to achieve it. Earlier, NUML Rector Major General Zia Uddin Najam (r) welcomed the chief guest and highlighted the achievements and contribution made by NUML in various fields of education, especially oriental and occidental languages, being one of the largest language universities in Asia. He said that the university had developed NUML support fund to facilitate deprived or poor students. He said that the varsity had established its campus in Urumqi, China and Gawadr and land for Bhawalpur campus had been acquired. He thanked the minister for sparing his precious time to participate in NUML’s convocation. Published in Daily Times, November 8th 2018.