The Bush Administration has earmarked $75 million under the Full Bright Scholarship Scheme exclusively for Pakistani students to get advance science and technical education in American universities, US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker said. He told Federal Minister for Education, Lt-Gen (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi in a meeting that Washington would further provide $66 million financial assistance to Pakistan for the uplift of early and adult education, school administration, and teachers training, an official statement said. The US diplomat said Pakistan was committed to the goals and targets it had pledged to international donors and had been put on the right track by President Musharraf's policies and enlightened moderation doctrine. Crocker said that the Bush Administration and USAID (US Agency for International Development) were seriously endeavoring to assist Pakistan in many sectors, as a socially and militarily strong Pakistan would bring peace and stability to the region, which would further strengthen Pak-US relations. The US envoy said that Washington would continue its assistance to the education sector, as Pakistan has been making tremendous and whole-hearted efforts as compared to other states in the region to make education accessible to all. Crocker appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan government and the ministry of education for delivering educational services to all, particularly in the far-flung areas, which were neglected in the past. The ambassador said Pakistan would soon achieve Education for All targets, adding that Pakistan has vast potential and genius human resources as the Pakistani community and the students living in the United States were showing a high degree of respect to the law of the land. He said visa facilitation for the students intending to go to the US for higher studies would soon be initiated. The minister told the ambassador that his emphasis would be to introduce technical and vocational training schools at each major town of Pakistan, which would further help in poverty alleviation and job creation. "I have secured the political will at the highest level to make Pakistan a technological based country, which has potential to produce skilled manpower instead of jobless degree holders," the Qazi said. He said technical and vocational education could only change Pakistan's destiny and could put it on the road to progress and prosperity.
