Terrorism can only be wiped out through the quality education:Mujtaba Shuja

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Law, Excise & Taxation and Finance Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said that terrorism and unemployment can be wiped out through promotion of quality education. He said that there is a need to utilize national resources equitably for setting up of a peaceful society and economic prosperity of the masses whereas problems like corruption, safarish and unemployment can be controlled through good governance and transparency.

Addressing the delegations of youth, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman maintained that our country of 190 million people has a vibrant economy, our majority population is under 20 and this makes South Asia as the only large economic area that shall not face a decline in the number of people entering the labor force for the next 50 years, whereas, future is ours. He said that Punjab government considers education as a tool to development and a record funds have been provided for school and higher education. He said that Rs. 2.10 billion has been provided for non formal basic education to 20 lakh illiterate persons.

Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman that Punjab government has recruited 140000 educators last tenure and more educators will be recruited within few months to accomplish the target of 100% literacy rate in the province. He commended the vision of Mian Shahbaz Sharif for launching free distribution schemes of laptops and solar lamps to appreciate the brilliant students. This will also help to reduce the dropout rate in the schools of far flung areas of the province. He further revealed that DFID has given assent to provide a grant in aid to the tune of Rs.351 million to construct 15000 additional class rooms, one additional class room for each public sector school having deficient facilities.

Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said that financial grant is being provided for up-gradation of higher education especially to the institutions of women ,whereas, new women universities are also being established in Bahawalpur, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad for enhancing ratio of higher education among women. He said that 101 new colleges were constructed while missing facilities were provided to 96 colleges during the last six years.

He told that establishment of 82 new colleges have been planned while missing facilities will be provided in 68 colleges with a cost of Rs. 1470 million. He said that Punjab government distributed solar lamps among the 2 lakh students last year with a cost of Rs. 2.5 billion under Ujala Programme so that load shedding could not disrupt their study. He said that during current fiscal year laptops and solar lamps are being distributed among the students on merit under a transparent system. This will also help to reduce the dropout rate in the schools of far flung areas of the province, he concluded.