Minister says economy is back on track

Stresses govt is providing quality education without discrimination

LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has said the fragile economy of Pakistan has been revived due to the efforts of the federal and Punjab governments.

He said the Punjab government was investing in the youth and ensuring quality education for students and the country’s bright future. He expressed these views during a meeting with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Abdul Basit, Senior Vice President Amjad Ali Jawa and Vice President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan at the LCCI offices on Thursday.



The provincial minister said the government was bearing the expense to provide talented students from financially disadvantaged families with an education at the best national and international educational institutions.

He said the country would create huge employment opportunities. The minister said the youth was not only being provided higher education, but was also imparted technical skills.

He said the number of school-going children had increased from eight million in 2008 to 10.53 million in 2017. He said all necessary facilities had been ensured in government schools.

He informed the participants of the meeting that the World Education Forum had declared Punjab's education system as the best emerging model. He was of the view that no education model could be successful without the due participation of the community.



Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Abdul Basit said it was appreciable that technical subjects were made part of the curriculum under a pilot programme with the help of Vocational Training Council and Technical Education and Vocational Authority in almost 100 schools across the province.

He said revamping and upgrading workshops and laboratories in schools was also a good initiative. He lauded the provision of technical education to students and said it would ensure self-employment. The LCCI declared 2017 the year of industry-academia linkage. The purpose of the initiative was to enhance interaction between the industrial sector and educational institutions, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2017.