Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid has said that after establishing 60 schools and colleges as well as three universities for women in Rawalpindi, he considers his mission for education at the cusp of being ‘accomplished’.
He was speaking after inaugurating AQ Khan Hall at the Government Associate College for Girls, Dhoke Mangtal on Thursday.
The minister said laying the foundation of another women’s postgraduate college in Dhoke Dalal by the end of this month will be akin to icing on the cake for the mission to make education accessible for all. He added that an amount of Rs350 million has already been set aside for the construction of the college and for the provision of furniture, laboratories, and halls for the educational institute.
He claimed that approximately 5,000 students are currently enrolled at each of the three universities established as per his directives. “No might in the world can harm Pakistan now that the daughters of the nation are being equipped with the power of education,” he said.
He expressed pride in Rawalpindi’s excellent track record for female education, adding that today the admission merit was so high that it had reached 92 per cent marks. “We have tried our best to provide education facilities at the doorsteps of the female students,” he said.
Lal Haveli scholarship programme
The minister said that his sights are now set on bearing the educational expenses of girls who wish to go abroad for higher education.
“Lal Haveli will provide fully funded scholarships for those bright female students in Rawalpindi district with a sound academic background who wish to pursue higher education in any university around the world,” pledged the minister.
He added that Lal Haveli will also provide financial help for girls who have been deprived of education because their parents cannot afford to send them to schools and colleges.
“When we made it our mission to make education the top priority in the region, Rawalpindi was at the 37th place. Now, the district has gained the top position across the entire province of Punjab,” he claimed.
He further revealed that when the original plan for the establishment of widespread educational institutes was conceived, he purposely chose to make them in areas where the less fortunate families resided. “I selected Dhokes like Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Khabba, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Naju, Dhoke Elahi Bukish for establishment of schools and colleges, as children belonging to families who survived on daily wages in these Dhokes could not afford private educational expenses,” he said.
Government Associate College for Girls Dhoke Mangtal Principal Yasmeen Qamar, in her speech, thanked the minister for his contributions, sharing that Sheikh Rashid had provided a sum of Rs15 million for the establishment of the newly inaugurated hall at the college.
While talking to The Express Tribune, the federal minister said that as soon as the foundation for the college at Dhoke Dalal would be laid, the city of Rawalpindi will celebrate the accomplishment of ‘Mission Education’ in which he will express his gratitude to the Almighty for enabling him to realise his goal.
The minister said that the uplift and betterment of the district’s health sector is now on the agenda, with an aim to provide state-of-the-art health facilities to the citizens.
WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2021.
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