LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif has said that provincial government is paying special attention to the provision of quality education at school level, and that implementation of the comprehensive school reforms roadmap was going on smoothly in the province with the cooperation of international donor agencies.
He was presiding over a high-level meeting, on Wednesday, held to review progress of the ongoing educational reforms at school level.He said that besides provision of quality education through this organised programme of educational reforms, other educational facilities were also being provided to the students.He said the programme was specially aimed at the uplift of students belonging to backward and remote areas, adding that the educational reforms would not only enhance students’ personalities but would also allow them to nurture self-confidence.
The CM said that provision of education to each and every child in the province was a commitment made on part of the Punjab government.He said that a special enrollment campaign was going on in the province with the aim of providing educational facilities to those who were unable to afford them. He said that the Punjab government, through an organised investment in its human resources, was preparing a confident and bold leadership for the country and aimed to depute educated persons in all sectors and fields.
He said that free education was being provided up to Matric level to the poor and needy students in different districts across Punjab through public-private partnership. Hailing the project of Danish schools, the CM said that the schools provided the best studying environment for girls coming from poor families. He said that Danish schools were a ray of hope for poor children who were being equipped with modern knowledge.Shahbaz said promotion of education was a national movement in which every Pakistani should participate. He added that the provincial government had ensured recruitment of 70,000 schoolteachers on merit and talent due to which best teachers would be available to the students.
The CM directed that NGOs and social workers associated with promotion of education should be included in the enrollment campaign and ulema of the Auqaf Department should also play their part by informing people about the importance of education through the platform of mosques. Earlier, British educationist Sir Michael Barber while giving a detailed briefing about the implementation of school reforms roadmap proposed that ulema, lady health visitors and barbers should be included in the campaign to increase the enrollment ratio in the schools at primary level.
Separately, while presiding over a meeting of Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company (PAMCO), the CM commended establishment of a modern slaughterhouse in Shahpur Kanjran that had been built in collaboration with Iran. He said the project was a unique example with regards to standard and transparency. Modern machinery and technology had been installed in the state-of-the-art slaughterhouse, he said, adding that the project will help provide quality, hygienic and cheaper meat to the citizens besides increasing exports of the country. He said that the production capacity of livestock of Punjab would also be enhanced due to this modern slaughterhouse. – Dailytimes
