Recreation time: Play areas established in schools under new policy

Education minister says initiative will facilitate extracurricular activities

PESHAWAR: Play areas have been established at new schools across the province under a new education policy. The government has established play areas at government schools to ensure a healthy environment at these institutes and give priority to quality education.

Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan shared these views while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a play area in Government Girls Primary School Sardar Garhi in the city.

According to a handout issued on Tuesday, Muhammad Atif said this was a gift from the government to the students. Play areas will provide an opportunity for students to engage in extracurricular activities, he added.



“So far, 2,600 play areas have been established in government primary schools in the province and the number will increase to 10,000 in the next two years,” the document quoted the minister as saying.

Focused

According to Atif, the government is trying to provide quality education for students. He said steps are being taken to ensure education is imparted to children in low-income areas.

“Real change in society was only possible through education and that is why the [incumbent] government is focusing on the education sector,” the handout quoted him as saying. “It has enhanced its budgets to Rs100 billion.”

He added the government was spending a large amount of money to provide missing facilities at government schools.

“So far, Rs16 billion has been spent on these facilities in more than 15,000 schools of the province,” the document cited him as saying.

Additional Secretary for Education Qaiser Alam attended the ceremony along with a large number of teachers and students.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2016.