20m out-of-school kids to be educated

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer has said it was the government’s mission to bring 20 million out-of-school children into the educational network.

“Education has always been our priority,” the minister said while addressing the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the academic block of Sheikhupura Regional Campus of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).

He added that AIOU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nasir Mahmood could play a vital role in making this mission successful through his “dynamic” leadership.

Tanveer briefed the participants of the ceremony about the initiatives taken for Sheikhupura by the government.

He pointed out that the government had laid the foundation stone for the building of Sheikhupura Regional Campus last year.

“Today, we are laying the foundation stone of its academic block,” he continued.

“It’s good to hear that Allama Iqbal Open University has been ranked first in the quality of education in Pakistan,” the minister noted.

He congratulated the AIOU vice chancellor and all the faculty members of the university for achieving this feat.

Tanveer said AIOU was playing an important role in training teachers and improving the quality of education in the country. He continued that education played a key role in the development of any country and the government “must focus on merit, transparency, and quality”.

The federal minister directed the AIOU vice chancellor to ensure the completion of the construction of Sheikhupura Campus in three months.

He ordered the provision of scholarships to the students of Sheikhupura.

The minister also asked the AIOU vice chancellor to set up an examination centre at Narang Mandi.

He said that the government would train teachers to raise the quality of education across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, the AIOU vice chancellor announced that the university would allocate a sum of Rs2 million per year as a scholarship fund for Sheikhupura.

He added that fees would be refunded to the students, who obtained 80% marks.

The AIOU vice chancellor said the university was on a mission to expand the educational network and construct its own campus buildings.

He added that AIOU was also bringing out-of-school children into the educational network with the support of various institutions.

Prof Dr Mahmood assured the federal minister that an examination centre would be set up in Narang Mandi.

Pakistan Institute of Education Director General Dr Shahid Soroya; Regional Services Director General Dr Malik Tauqir Ahmad Khan; Sheikhupura Assistant Regional Director Javed Iqbal; regional directors of Lahore, Faisalabad, Narowal, Sialkot and Gujranwala; MNAs; educationists; and students also attended the ceremony. APP