By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said Pakistan could emerge as a great nation by securing a high place in the world of contemporary education and by adopting the fundamentals of morality.
“A combination of knowledge and values can earn the Pakistani nation success and integrity in the world,” the President said at the launch of ‘One Aligarh Innoversity’, held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The One Aligarh Innoversity – a virtual university by non-profit organization Strandz – aims at transforming the country’s education system in line with ideals of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
President Alvi stressed that knowledge alone could not guarantee a positive and balanced society unless coupled with the values based on humanity and social justice.
He said great philosopher and academic Sir Syed Ahmed Khan developed a sense of realization among the Muslims of sub-continent to attain education so as to avert exploitation at the hands of Hindus.The President said now, it was the time to inculcate the same concept of knowledge and morality among the youth of Pakistan to help them meet the challenges of modern world.
As knowledge takes new forms of artificial intelligence and smart technology, he said, adapting to new modes of education was need of the day. The President expressed confidence that One Aligarh Innoversity would realize the dreams of the Quaid-e-Azam and national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal in making the homeland prosperous. Chairman Strandz Air Marshal (retd) Shahid Hamid said the initiative, as a well-thoughtout and culturally-driven process, would prove a game-changer in the field of education.
Around 300-400 professionals will be affiliated with the virtual university, the second phase of which will be launched in brick and mortar form in year 2022, he added.Ahmed Saeed, the great-great-grandson of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan said One Aligarh Innoversity would be run on a futuristic approach along with social training of students combined with character-building and physical development.
Colonel (retd) Syed Zafaruddin Ahmed, an Aleeg, stressed a system of education that ensured national unity and character-building.
Member of Strandz retired Colonel Naveed Zafar said the main objective of the Innoversity was personal unification, resetting of paradigms and mindsets, and transforming the ability to map knowledge.
Earlier, the President formally inaugurated the One Aligarh Innoversity by pressing the button at the virtual launch on the occasion. First Lady Samina Alvi also attended the event.
