Punjab Leaves Behind All Other Units In Education Sector: Report

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Mar, 2017 ) : Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday chaired a meeting wherein Secretary Schools briefed about educational statistics of Pakistan 2015-16 issued by academy of Educational Planning and Management.

As indicated in statistics, Punjab has taken lead in education sector over all other units of Pakistan. The Chief Minister said the government spent billions of rupees for provision of missing facilities in schools and it resulted in noteworthy increase in enrolment of students by diminishing drop-out rate.

He emphasised the need to focus on out-of-school children and directed that coherent efforts should be made to bring them in schools. He said Punjab had opted merit policy at each level and talented teachers were recruited in past eight years to meet the shortage of educators in schools.

Similarly, construction of additional classrooms and boundary walls in all schools of the province would be completed by March 2018, he added. The CM said program had been devised to light up the schools working without electricity through solar panels.

He added that 20,000 schools would be provided electricity under "Khadim-e-Punjab Ujala Program" besides tables in all schools. He said that 83,000 children were liberated from child labour at brick kilns and were brought to school by providing them with stationary.

"Today these children are not only getting their education but also monthly stipend from the Punjab government," he added. Directing to ensure hundred percent implementation of the decisions taken to promote education, the CM said that survey results were encouraging nevertheless it would be put to third-party audit.

The meeting also approved several proposals to increase enrolment in schools. Minister Schools Education Mashood Ahmad Khan, Minister Finance Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Advisor Dr. Umar Saif, Special Assistant Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Chairman Punjab Education Foundation MPA Engineer Qamar islam Raja, Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, Vice Chairman Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, educational experts and others attended the meeting.