Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced major initiatives to promote higher education, including free education for orphan students who passed the MDCAT and a new internship program for bachelor’s and master’s degree holders.
Free Education for Orphan Students
Speaking at a ceremony at Frontier Women College, Afridi inaugurated a scheme to provide free higher education to female students and orphans. “Through the Justice Female Education Card, 55,000 students will gain access to free education,” he said, emphasizing the government’s commitment to supporting underprivileged youth.
The program specifically includes MDCAT passers among orphan students, offering them the opportunity to pursue medical education without financial burden.
Internship Program for Graduates
In addition, Afridi instructed the launch of an internship program for students holding bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He highlighted that the program aims to enhance employability and provide practical exposure for young professionals across the province.
Commitment to Women’s Education
Afridi further pledged that the upcoming provincial budget would allocate additional funds to expand educational opportunities for women. “Our goal is to increase access to quality higher education across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said, signaling a long-term strategy for educational development.
Program Closures at University of Peshawar
The announcement comes shortly after the University of Peshawar decided to close undergraduate programs in nine departments due to low student enrollment. The affected departments included Geography, History, Home Economics and others, according to an official notice issued by the university administration.
These new government initiatives aim to offset limited academic opportunities in certain fields, ensuring that students from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to higher education and career-building programs.
