Biggest training programme for teachers is being started:Rana Mashhood

Lahore: Biggest training programme for teachers in the history of the country is being started in the province with the cooperation of Britain. In the light of MoUs signed with British Council and University of London, special courses in English language will be conducted for teachers.  Punjab is the only province which is implementing various projects for youth. After formulating youth policy, youth commission is being set up. Next target will be establishment of youth directorate.

These views were expressed by Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan while addressing a seminar with regard to Punjab Youth Strategy casting plan at a local hotel. The seminar was arranged by Youth Affairs Department and UNICEF. Secretary Youth Affairs Sheikh Hamayun Mazhar and representatives of UNICEF were also present on the occasion. Consultant of the department Dr. Muhammad Saif Ullah Chaudhry gave facts and figures regarding youth strategy casting plan 2013-17.

The Provincial Minister said that there were 80 lakh children studying in govt. schools in Punjab till few years ago but due to effective measures taken by Education Department, their number has increased to 1.25 crore. He said that Education Department has made arrangements for providing free textbooks to these children. He said that there is no uniform education system anywhere in the world and there are private sector schools in every country. However, he said, efforts are being made in every country to raise the standard of govt. schools to the level of private schools. He said that Punjab government is also following the policy of provision of necessary facilities in public schools till 2017 and improve them to international standard.

Rana Mashhood further said that Punjab government has recently taken revolutionary decisions for the enrolment of children of brick kiln workers in schools and more than 40 thousand children working at brick kilns are being given admission in schools. He said that uniform, books and monthly stipend will be given to these children by Punjab government. He said the brick kilns involved in child labour will be sealed.

The Minister said that UNICEF is extending full cooperation to Punjab government in education sector. He said that  schools’ education is the first department which has uploaded the data of 54 thousand schools on its website and any person can get information about these schools at any time and contact officers concerned of Education Department in case of any complaint. In reply to a question, the Minister said that the whole world is facing climate change and Pakistan is the worst affected and children and their parents are facing  extreme cold and fog in the month of January this year unexpectedly.

He said that in the light of the reports of Meteorological Department and Health Department it has given one week vacation to the children so as to save them from extreme weather condition.