The government has set aside Rs 97 million for scholarships in Pakistani universities to 75 Muslims from southern Thailand - both teachers and students. A total of 25 Thai teachers and 50 students would be offered Rs 1.3 million each to stay in Pakistan and do post graduate degrees. The duration of their stay would be 64 months. The project developed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has been submitted for approval to the Central Development Working Party(CDWP), which meets here today.The scheme, the first of its kind here, was drawn up in accordance with a directive issued by Prime Minister Shuakat Aziz, who had promised to give scholarships to Thai Muslims during his recent visit to the country. Candidates for scholarships will first be short-listed by Sheikh Islam of Thailand and the Southern Muslim Association. A committee headed by the Pakistani ambassador to Thailand, and including representatives of Sheikh Islam and Thai ministries, will then select the candidates. The Thai students will get free tuition in Pakistani universities, a return air ticket, living expenses for the stipulated period of the degree programme, a book allowance, and healthcare allowance. The 25 scholarships for teachers include 10 scholarships in science subjects, 10 in language and five in education. The 50 scholarships for Thai Muslim students include 20 in science subjects, and 10 each in management sciences, arts, education, Islamic laws and language.
The project documents state that the project will help compensate for the lack of education facilities in the southern Muslim provinces of Thailand. Thai Muslims by and large cannot even speak the Thai language, let alone English, which limits their access to education, say the documents. So it has been proposed the Thai teachers and students should first complete an English language course of six months in a registered institute before starting studies in Pakistani universities.