Top priority: Govt striving to improve school standards, says Atif

Minister says previous governments paid little attention to education

PESHAWAR: Minister for Education Muhammad Atif Khan said the PTI-led provincial government was striving hard to improve the condition of government schools and bring them at par with international standards. “Authorities are determined to turn the government schools of K-P into role models for the whole country.”

He issued this statement while holding a meeting with the Pakistan Red Crescent (PRC) in the city on Thursday. The meeting was also attended by Education Additional Secretary Qaiser Alam, Education Director Rafique Khattak and PRC officials. The meeting discussed ways to enhance PRC funds for the welfare of people and certain decisions were taken in this respect.

The minister, while appreciating the services of PRC in response to natural disasters, maintained the organisation always played a key role. However, he added it would prove beneficial in the long-term if the PRC extended its activities to the education sector.

Atif claimed education was never a top priority for previous governments. The minister pointed out the lack of interest of previous regimes could be gauged from the fact that only Rs30 million had been earmarked on an annual basis for basic facilities at 30,000 government schools.

He said the PTI-led administration doubled the quota for establishing girls’ schools. According to Atif, soon after taking charge, the PTI government started reforms and prepared a plan to provide Rs43 billion for basic facilities at government schools.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2016.