Vice-Chancellor Karachi University, Professor Dr Pirzada Qasim inaugurated the seven-day National Chemistry Talent contest at the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry here on Monday. The competition is being organised by the International Centre for Chemical Sciences (ICCS) University of Karachi and National Core Group of Chemistry (NCGC) Higher Education Commission.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pirzada Qasim pointed out that there appeared to be race for professionalism in the country and the youngsters wanted to either become doctors and engineers or businessmen. He was of the view that basic sciences such as physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology were being ignored and the students were not being fully made aware of these disciplines.
The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that the country needed good teachers who were well aware of the significance of their role and responsibilities
He also called for enforcement of aptitude test at the higher secondary level so that the students could move forward on the basis of their natural abilities.
Pirzada Qasim appreciated the services being rendered by the faculty members of the ICCS.
As many as 45 students meritoriously selected from various educational institutions in the country are participating in the contest. Of these, four top contestants of this event would represent Pakistan in the 38th International Chemistry Olympiad in Seoul, South Korea, to be held next year.
According to the Co-ordinator of the Contest, Dr Khalid Khan, the event is an extension of the National Physics Talent contest launched by Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) in 1995. He informed that HEC had recently approved the PIEAS's proposal to extend this activity to Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics accompanying Physics.
He said Pakistan would obtain full membership of International Chemistry Olympiad at the 37th ICO in Taiwan this month.
Dr Khalid pointed out that in the National Chemistry Talent contest first year F.Sc /A Level students of not more than 18 years of age would be included and colleges might nominate up to five best students to contest, in this discipline.
He said the event would comprise of different educational and leisure activities including presentation, written examination, chemistry quiz, practical activities, lectures on different chemical issues visit to industries and sight-seeing visit to PIA Planetarium and Quaid-I-Azam's Mausoleum.
The closing ceremony will be attended by the Chairman of Higher Education Commission Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, prominent social worker Abdus Sattar Edhi and Begum Bilquis Edhi.