Punjab

At Kinnaird high school: UK secretary opens renovated academic block

Johnson spoke of the UK government’s commitment towards improving educational infrastructure in South Asia

Our Correspondent November 25, 2016

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Joanna Reid and Isfundiar Kasuri with Kinnaird high school students. PHOTO: DFID

LAHORE: UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson unveiled a commemorative plaque on Friday marking the successful completion of a new academic block at the Government Kinnaird High School for Girls in Lahore. The new academic building has 23 new classrooms and 11 toilets.

The high school is one of 32 dangerous schools across Punjab where the Department for International Development-assisted ‘Humqadam Programme’ is replacing unsafe and unhygienic classrooms with safe and nurturing learning places.

Accompanied by the British High Commissioner Thomas Drew, Johnson was greeted by DFID Pakistan chief Joanna Reid and Humqadam’s School Construction and Rehabilitation Programme Deputy Team Lead Isfundiar Kasuri.

Johnson spoke of the UK government’s commitment towards improving educational infrastructure in South Asia with a special emphasis on girls’ education. “The school has everything it needs to be successful: amazing teachers, a beautiful new building, all this [support] coming from the UK and most importantly, its bright students keen to learn,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.