KP allocates Rs10bln for higher education: Meena Khan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education, Archives and Libraries Meena Khan Afridi has said that the provincial government is utilizing all available resources to promote higher education, especially in engineering and technology. Speaking at the “TechVision Final Year Project Expo” held at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Mardan, Afridi stated that the government has significantly increased the higher education budget from Rs1.9 billion during the caretaker setup to Rs10 billion in the recently announced provincial budget.
He emphasized the need for universities to move beyond traditional engineering and focus on emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity, which align with modern global demands and the vision of Imran Khan’s leadership.
The expo showcased 66 projects by final-year students and featured participation from 30 industries. Afridi visited all the stalls, interacting with students and learning about their innovations. The Best Project Award was secured by the Civil Engineering Department.
In a significant development, Afridi also inaugurated the newly established Center for Artificial Intelligence and a 200-kilowatt solar power system installed by the university. He termed the AI Center a milestone in Pakistan’s technological advancement.
Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Gul Muhammad urged engineering students to pursue entrepreneurship instead of merely seeking jobs, stating that they should contribute to the country by creating employment opportunities for others.
Minister Afridi praised the efforts of UET Mardan’s students and faculty, expressing his admiration for the creativity and potential displayed in the projects.
He highlighted the importance of industry-academia linkages for job creation and innovation-driven public services.
Afridi also distributed a Rs30,000 cash prize to each student project presented at the expo and Rs20,000 cash awards for the best ideas.
Vice Chancellor Dr. Gul Muhammad presented commemorative shields to Minister Meena Khan Afridi and Director General of Science and Technology Sajid Khan during the closing ceremony.