Call to allow final year students to conduct research

The Pakistan Development Foundation has asked the government to allow the students of final semesters in BS and masters programme to return to the universities. Muhammad Bilal Sethi, the chairman of the foundation, wrote a letter to Governor Shah Farman, who is chancellor of public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the adviser to chief minister on higher education and made some suggestions. The letter said the Covid-19 pandemic had deeply influenced the day-to-day life of people and had impacted education as well, but the government could not come up with a better strategy so that the students pursuing higher education could continue their studies.

Bilal Sethi, a renowned social activist in KP, suggested in his letter that the government should

allow final semester students to come to the universities so that they could work on their research projects. He suggested that the students may be divided in groups and each group may be called on a different day and allotted a different room, ensuring social distancing and preventive measures. He said in universities the strength of students per class was less. Giving an example of the University of Peshawar, he said that it enrolled 25 to 35 students per session so grouping, its management and social distancing was easy.