Islamabad, July 15, 2023 (PPI-OT): The 1st Meeting of the Senate’s Education Parliamentarians’ Caucus (EPC) took place today in Conference Room at the EPC Secretariat under the convenorship of Senator Sana Jamali. During the meeting, the members of the Education Parliament Caucus unanimously adopted the Terms of References (ToRs), paving the way for the operationalization of the caucus. Senator Sana Jamali, the Convener of the Caucus, emphasized the constitutional obligation of the State to provide free and compulsory education for all children.

She passionately spoke about the caucus’s primary objective, which is to instill a strong sense of the value of education within society and make it accessible to underprivileged communities. Additionally, she shared details about the upcoming ‘National Education Seminar: Empowering Pakistan’s Future,’ scheduled for July 20th, organised by the EPC, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Senator Fawzia Arshad appreciated the initiative of the caucus and expressed that the EPC will be working with collective good will of the education sector across the Pakistan.

The members of the Caucus also adopted the Rules of the Caucus, needful for the smooth functioning of the caucus business. Senator Sana Jamali highlighted that the Education Parliamentarians’ Caucus consists of four members from the Senate of Pakistan, four members from the National Assembly, three members from civil society, and one representative from each province. In a strategic move to ensure sustained support for educational projects nationwide, the caucus announced the establishment of a dedicated fund called ‘EPC-Fund’, registered with the EPC. The sole purpose of this fund will be to provide financial backing for sustainable education initiatives across the country. Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman was unanimously elected as the Treasurer of the Caucus, responsible for managing the fund’s resources.

He viewed the caucus as the central point for overseeing the education sector through the lens of equitable distribution of resources among the masses. Ms. Shahida Rahmani, MNA expressed her pleasure over the first meeting of caucus and desired that the caucus will be playing its affective role in bringing the education discourse into the mainstream. Furthermore, the Education Parliament Caucus aspires to foster a comprehensive consensus among all parliamentarians on a unified agenda for advancing the education sector, Senator Sana Jamali affirmed.

The members of the Caucus commended Senator Sana Jamali for her visionary leadership and applauded her for initiating this crucial endeavor. They expressed their unwavering support towards achieving the goals set by the Education Parliament Caucus. Attendees at the meeting included Senator Fawzia Arshad, Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, MNA Shahida Rehmani and the concerned officials of the Senate Secretariat.

For more information, contact:

Senate of Pakistan

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E-mail: senate@comsats.net.pk

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