JICA books for PEF evening schooling project

Lahore: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided colorful books to the students enrolled in evening schooling project of Punjab Education Foundation (PEF).

Books distribution ceremony was held on Monday at PEF head office with Managing Director Dr. Aneela Salman in the chair. Project Coordinator JICA Abid Gill, besides PEF-DMD Salman Anwar Malik, Program Directors Aisha Nauman & Samina Nawaz, was also present.

Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Aneela Salman said that evening schooling project is a pilot program for child laborers, housemaids and other out of school children who could not study in the morning due to their peculiar circumstances. In order to meet their educational needs, 104 partner schools have been setup in collaboration with the private partners in Lahore & Multan in the first phase where five thousand male & female children are enrolled to get free education.

PEF is providing monthly fee as well as textbooks to the partners. She said that in order to continue meeting the educational needs of deserving students, such partner schools will also be upgraded in future so that students may go on with their education. She said that provision of free quality education is our prime agenda, adding that PEF is wholly contributing to meet the targets of ‘Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab.’

Dr. Salman further said that provision of education to the needy children is a great social service as it helps to make them positive social assets. We have brought such children back to schools for which education was a distant dream. We have given books in their tender-hands and encouraged them to study by providing them conducive learning atmosphere. This, in a way, will strengthen the future of Pakistan, as these tender-age children are a bright symbol of our tomorrow, maintained Aneela Salman.

Project Coordinator JICA Abid Gill paid rich tributes to the beneficial role of the PEF in the field of school education and disclosed that PEF sponsored Public Private Partnership models are studied and replicated in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to meet their respective educational needs.  He hoped that evening schooling project will emerge as a prime example of success while the students will become part of mainstream through education.

PEF DMD Salman Anwar Malik, Program Directors Aisha Nauman & Samina Nawaz also spoke on the occasion. Later, MD PEF and Abid Gill distributed books among the students.