Education initiative: Lawmakers form caucus to push for reforms

Call for improving quality of education at public schools, colleges.

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentarians on Thursday vowed to work together for making education a political priority and increase quality of education in all provinces.

They were speaking at a policy dialogue on “Aggregating Voice for Better Results: Learning from Policy and Constituency Level Engagement,” organised by the Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) in collaboration with ILM Ideas.

At the event, legislators also formed a National Caucus on Education (NCE) with an aim to create technical and political interface for systematic education reforms in the country. Senator Mohsin Leghari was elected convenor of the caucus.

The caucus comprises members of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies.

Balochistan Chief Minister’s Education Adviser Raza Bareech suggested the NCE identify different education issues and contribute towards their rectification at the provincial, district and constituency levels by ensuring affirmative political and administrative actions leading to better planning and delivery of education services.

“It is crucial to come together for the cause of education reforms, looking beyond our political affiliations,” Leghari said.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Member Punjab Assembly Murad Rass said NCE should work to restore public confidence in the government education system by improve access and quality of the education at schools and colleges.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2015.