Education is the only key to development:Najam Sethi

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister, Najam Sethi has said that education is the only key to development and prosperity of the country and the nation. He said that poverty and unemployment can be overcome by promoting education. He said that education is an effective weapon against extremism. Najam Sethi said that there is a need to paying special attention to the quality and technical education and all possible steps will be taken for further improving educational system.

The Chief Minister directed that steps should be taken for ensuring the attendance of teachers and the students in the schools. He was presiding over a high level meeting regarding ongoing programmes for improving the education sector at Chief Minister’s Secretariat today.

Secretary Schools Education, Secretary Higher Education, Secretary Special Education, Secretary Literacy and Non-Formal Education, Managing Director Punjab Education Foundation, Chairman Punjab Textbook Board and other concerned officials attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that promotion of education is one of the top priorities of the government and Punjab government will channelize all out resources for this purpose. He said that increase in literacy rate in the province is utmost essential and a comprehensive programme should be pursued for increasing literacy rate. He directed that a plan for promotion of non-formal education should be evolved.

Najam Sethi said that the ratio of teachers and male and female students in the schools and colleges should be realistic and the transfer policy of teachers should be based on merit. He said that special programmes should be formulated for capacity building of the teachers and enhancing standard of the education. He said that deputation policy should be implemented according to the rules and regulations.

The Chief Minister directed that special steps should be taken in those districts where enrolment of the students is low so that the number of male and female students in the schools could be increased. He said that the encouragement of teachers and the students will be continued. Najam Sethi directed that practicable proposals should be submitted for establishing knowledge city whereas an action plan should also be prepared for setting up IT labs in the colleges on the pattern of high schools.

The Chief Minister, expressing his satisfaction over the briefing said that there is a need of paying more attention to the special children than the ordinary children for making them useful citizen of the society. He said that special attention should be paid to the training and education of special children and provision of facilities in the educational and training institutions of special children should be ensured on priority basis.

Secretary Schools Education, Secretary Higher Education, Secretary Special Education, Secretary Literacy and Non-Formal Education gave briefings to the Chief Minister during the meeting.