Private Schools Associations of Faisalabad withdraw the strike call

Lahore: After successful dialogues with Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Joint Action Committee of Private Schools Associations of Faisalabad has withdrawn the strike call of March 09.

According to the details, during his visit to Faisalabad, the Minister met representatives of seven private schools associations at Education Board Complex. Sadaqat Hussain Lodhi, Khalid Hayat Kamoka, Chaudhry Muhammad Tahir, Asad Bashir Gil, Rana Muqrab Elahi, Sheikh Naseem, Chairman Board of Education Mehr Ghulam Jhaggar, Director General Colleges Rana Munawar Khan and EDO Education Bashir Zahid Goraya attended the meeting.

The Minister informed that more dialogues will be held with 10-member committee of representative organization of private schools to remove their reservations and apprehensions. He said that both government and private school administrations have same objective for the promotion of education therefore, education of students should not be put at stake due to strikes. He said that no one is above the law while 97 percent private schools are included in the category of fees less than five thousand rupees. Therefore, they should not join with elite schools, he added.

He said that government has always acknowledged the importance of private educational institutions, their usefulness and important role as government alone cannot succeed in the jehad against illiteracy. He said that Punjab government has made legislation due to protest of parents against improper and unjustified increase in fees by some private schools. He said that no fine or punishment has been awarded under that legislation.

He appreciated the decision of joint action committee of Private Schools Association on withdrawal of strike call. Sadaqat Hussain Lodhi, Khalid Hayat Kamoka and Sheikh Naseem thanked Minister for Education for considering their reservations and said that they want to supplement government efforts for the success of Chief Minister Punjab’s Parho Punjab Barho Punjab Programme.

Earlier, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan while addressing as chief guest the concluding ceremony of 2-day international conference on the topic of global trends in safe and foods and Lyallpur food and poultry production festival at Government College University New Campus Jhang Road. He said that under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, steps are being taken on emergent basis for the provision of quality, healthy and adulteration free food items and potable water to people of the province. He said that holding of awareness seminars regarding food security in universities will help achieve government targets.

The Minister lauded holding of international seminar regarding food security by Agriculture University and said that useful information is obtained from experienced persons belonging to scientists, industrialists, farming and other sectors in such programmes which provides guidance in removing hurdles in a better manner in obtaining safe and quality food.

He said that Punjab government has taken revolutionary steps for the development of education sector and promotion of education which has no example in the past. He said that financial resources are being provided to talented deserving students for continuing their education. He said that the volume of endowment fund set up for this purpose has reached 16 billion rupees and presently more than one lakh students are benefiting from this facility.

At the end of function, shields were distributed among guests, administrators and participants. The Minister also inspected security system of GC University. Later, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan visited different stalls in the festival at GC University Faisalabad.