Lahore, August 25, 2021 (PPI-OT):Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said Islam has stressed upon the human beings to seek knowledge while terming it a lost legacy of the faithful adding that promotion of education is a manifesto of the PTI. A 66 % increase is made in the development budget but 286 % and 29 % increase is made in higher education and school education budgets, respectively as the government is striving to educate every child. SED is working to ensure equitable access to quality education by every child and historic steps are taken in this regard. Meanwhile, Punjab school education policy 2020 is also introduced, he added.

While addressing the Punjab education convention at the Governor House, the CM said Punjab is the leading province to introduce an e-transfer policy for the education department and more than 86000 teachers have benefited from it. E-retirement, e-promotion, e-pension and e-leave facilities are also available and teachers do not need any connection in this regard, he said. More than 31000 STIs will be recruited in different phases to overcome teachers’ shortage in government schools and recruitment of more than 33000 educators will also be started soon in different categories.

Recruitment rules are relaxed to overcome teachers’ shortage in 10 backward districts and locals are being recruited under hardship policy, he said. The past government upgraded 1330 schools in five years while the PTI government has upgraded 1533 schools in just three years. A total of 27000 schools, including 40% from south Punjab and 53% girl’s schools, will be upgraded. 7000 schools will be upgraded in the current financial year, he continued.

The CM said work on 600 projects is in motion to restore dilapidated school buildings. Similarly, necessary facilities are being provided in schools under a programme aimed at ensuring missing facilities for the students. More than 2000 classrooms have been built with assistance from DFID and 1000 science and IT labs’ restoration projects have also been completed, he said.

He said that 400 school libraries are provided in 17 districts and 110 model schools are near completion in 11 districts. The government has also converted more than 11000 schools to solar energy which mostly function in backward areas of south Punjab, he said.

The CM said elementary afternoon classes are started in 577 primary schools to educate 22000 students under the Insaf Afternoon Programme. He pointed out that parents were given relief by reducing fees of private schools in the corona and online recorded live lectures and courses facility will also be provided under Insaf Academy.

Meanwhile, 23000 students of 100 different schools were being provided quality food in collaboration with an NGO in Lahore while a programme is under consideration to provide a balanced diet to destitute children of 12 backward districts. He said one million children have been enrolled in a 6 months under-enrolment campaign besides giving attention to teaching and training of transgender. The maiden transgender school has been established in Multan and the school-based assessment system has been introduced in public schools by abolishing the traditional examination of primary and eighth classes, he added.

The Danish schools system is being improved and incomplete projects of boys and girls Danish schools in Tibba Sultanpur Vehari and centre of excellence in Nankana Sahib have been made functional. Similarly, the centre of excellence in Chakwal and Danish schools in Tandlianwala, Taunsa and Mankeera will also be completed soon. The government will continue to take steps for the promotion of education, concluded the CM.

For more information, contact:
Office of the Chief Minister of Punjab
Government of the Punjab
8-Club Road, GOR-I, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99205562-3
Fax: +92-42-99205561
Website: https://cm.punjab.gov.pk/