Government of the Punjab allots Rs 15 crore for 75 school buildings in Cholistan Area

Lahore: Government of the Punjab has allocated an amount of Rs.15 crore for the construction of 75 school buildings in Cholistan Area of Bahawalpur Division. These schools were setup under “Literate Cholistan Project” and are now handed over to Punjab Education Foundation for providing free education to students.

Under this scheme, besides construction of purpose-built school buildings, latest furniture and other necessary educational facilities, including clean drinking water, will also be provided so that the students could study in conducive atmosphere and improve the quality of life through education.

District Coordination Officer Bahawalpur, Imran Sikandar Baloch stated this while addressing the school bags distribution ceremony at a PEF partner school in Cholistan. These bags were provided by a cellular company (UFone) under their corporate social responsibility principles. The DCO said that the 75 school buildings will be completed in a year time to provide best education to the local students who are mostly females.

On the occasion, Managing Director Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), Dr. Aneela Salman told that PEF has adopted these schools, and now it is paying Rs. 450 per Student to Cholistan Development Authority, while the textbooks have also been provided to the 5258 students. She said that educational partnership between PEF and CDA will greatly benefit the local students, especially the girls, who cannot go afar due to lack of proper transport. She paid tributes to the school student namely Misbah who grumbled about the future of education for the local girls before the DCO, and added that the Punjab Government took her complaint seriously, as education is the most important right of every child. She observed that promotion of education will catalyze the rapid socio-economic development in the area as well as creating more job opportunities for the educated youth.

MD PEF told that more schools will be opened in the Cholistani areas where needed, so that the local children could study in nearby schools. The function was also addressed by cellular company representative.

Later, DCO and MD PEF distributed school bags among the students. PEF Regional Directors Syed Naveed Abbas and Shafiq Ahmad, besides locals, were also present on the occasion.