A delegation of British Council calls on CM Punjab

Lahore: A delegation of British Council led by its Chief Executive Ciaran Devane met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif here today and agreed to promote ongoing cooperation with Punjab in education sector.

Talking to the delegation of British Council, the Chief Minister said that Punjab government has taken revolutionary steps for the promotion of education during the last six years. He said that quality education is the right of every child which is being ensured by the government. He said that Provincial Higher Education Commission has been set up for the promotion of higher education. He said that Punjab School Reforms Roadmap Programme is being successfully implemented in the province with the cooperation of British Department for International Development (DFID) and is yielding positive results. He said that education is the most effective weapon against terrorism and extremism.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Skill Development Programme is also being implemented successfully in Punjab with the cooperation of DFID and thousands of youth have been imparted various skills. He said that under Skill Development Programme investment is being made in the youth and they are being provided respectable job opportunities. He said that Punjab government is making investment in the youth for their empowerment.

The Chief Minister further said that more than 10 lakh boys and girls have been given admission in schools through the voucher scheme of Punjab Education Foundation. He said that establishment of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund is another historic step of the provincial government. He said that the total volume of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund has reached 12 billion rupees and thousands of poor but talented students have been given educational scholarships from this fund enabling them to study at prestigious educational institutions. He said that IT labs have been set up in 4200 high schools while lakhs of laptops worth billions of rupees have been distributed among talented boy and girl students during the last few years. He said that after universities and colleges, students of schools and religious seminaries are also being given laptops.

Shahbaz Sharif further said that quality educational institutions like Daanish Schools are being set up in backward areas of the province for providing academic facilities to low-income segments of the society. He said that even better education than Atchison and Grammar schools is being given to students in Daanish Schools. He said that digital libraries are being set up in the province while a state-of-the-art Knowledge Park is being established in Lahore. He said that the first kidney and liver institute of the country will also be set up in the Knowledge Park for which 50 acre land has been allocated. He said that this project will also be executed with speed and transparency like the other projects of the provincial government.

The Chief Minister said that Health Reforms Roadmap Programme has also been started in the province with the cooperation of DFID. He said that in order to provide modern and economical transport facilities to the masses, metro bus project has been completed within a very short period and more than 1.50 lakh people travel by metro buses daily. Shahbaz Sharif said that cooperation with British Council in educational programmes will be continued in future as well.

The members of the British Council delegation while speaking on the occasion said that Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is taking commendable measures for the uplift of education, health and other social sectors and they are pleased to see the pace of development in Punjab. They said that the effective steps taken by the Chief Minister reflect his dynamic leadership. They further said that cooperation with Punjab government in education sector will be further promoted. The delegation included Regional Director for South Asia Stephen Roman, Director Pakistan Peter Upton, Director Punjab Kevin Mcqueen and Project Manager Muhammad Ali. Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Secretary Higher Education, Chairman Provincial Higher Education Commission and concerned authorities were present on the occasion.