Public education: ‘All south Punjab UCs will have high schools for girls’

Minister for school education says the government has plans to construct 35,000 new classrooms

BAHAWALPUR: Minister for School Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said on Friday that high schools for girls would be set up in every union council of south Punjab. He said the government had plans to construct 35,000 new class rooms for this purpose.

He was addressing a meeting at the DCO’s office. The meeting was attended by National Assembly Member Parveen Masood Bhatti, Provincial Assembly Member Khalid Mehmood Waran, Social Welfare Secretary Haroon Rafiq, District Coordination Officer Ehtisham Anwar Mahaar and Education EDO Chaudhry Basheer Ahmad.

The minister said enrolment targets should be achieved. “We must discourage students from dropping out. Libraries and facilities for extra-curricular activities should be provided to promote healthy activities.”

The minister said the standard operating procedure for security of school should be enforced. “Negligence in this regard would not be tolerated.”

He said school councils would be established to monitor performance of teaching staff.

The minister was told that 157 dilapidated school buildings in the district were being reconstructed. He was told that reconstruction of 31 school buildings had been completed and work on the rest would conclude in two months.

The minister was told that scores of children working at kilns had been enrolled in schools. He was informed that Rs1.3 million had been spent on providing notebooks, uniforms and scholarships to these children.

Later, minister was briefed regarding the flood situation in the district and the steps taken to deal with a flood emergency.

He was told that concerning in view of a possible low-level flood, preparation of the infrastructure had been completed. He was told that 2,500 camps had been set up, six motorboats, 15 water rowers, 11 ambulances and 13 fire engines had been acquired for this purpose.

The meeting was told that dykes and banks had been inspected and repaired by Irrigation Department teams.

Later, Khan visited the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Satellite Town and Government Shuhda-i-Army Public School Memorial High School in the same area. He checked classrooms and spoke to students about their problems.

The minister also took notice of poor cleanliness arrangements and low student attendance at the schools. He gave the heads of both institutions to rectify the situation.

The minister ordered suspension of a physical training teacher at Government Shuhda-i-Army Public School Memorial High School for making children clean the campus.

The minister later visited the Government Elementary Teacher Training College in Bahawalpur where 574 educators were in training.

“Educators are being appointed on merit. Teachers should become role models for students and teach them with sincerity and dedication.” “Every year, at that 40,000 teachers are appointed in the province. This year 75,000 teachers will be appointed,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2016.