PM calls for urgent educational reforms

Shehbaz underscores govt's commitment to ensuring every child has access to education

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has underscored the critical need for quality education and technical training in Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of skills development, information technology, and digitalization within modern educational frameworks.

During a pivotal review meeting on the Federal Ministry of Education and Technical Training, he asserted that no nation can thrive without a robust education system and reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring that every child has access to schooling.

Highlighting the urgency of educational reform, PM Shehbaz noted that an educational emergency was declared upon his administration's arrival, prioritizing improvements across the sector. He called for a national curriculum leadership conference to establish a uniform education system nationwide.

The Prime Minister also directed the expedited construction of Daanish Schools in underserved regions, including Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Balochistan. He proposed the establishment of day-care centres in educational institutions in Islamabad to support female teachers and advocated for the creation of e-libraries in public parks, ensuring free internet access.

To boost female student enrolment, Shehbaz suggested monthly stipends for girls in rural areas and the incorporation of technical training into school curricula. He stressed the importance of re-engaging school dropouts through awareness campaigns and free technical training programmes.

Emphasising teacher quality, the Prime Minister called for a premier teacher training institution in Islamabad and proposed a third-party audit to evaluate teaching standards. He insisted on transparency and merit in teacher recruitment, warning against any negligence.

During the meeting, concerns were raised about school buses provided in 2017 that have been out of service for years, prompting the Prime Minister to order an inquiry. The Federal Ministry of Education also shared updates on initiatives, including a school lunch program in Islamabad that has successfully increased enrolment.

Additionally, early childhood education centres and digital training hubs offering courses in data science, artificial intelligence, and block chain technology have been established. Renovations are in progress at 167 schools, and five model colleges are being enhanced with software technology parks.

The meeting highlighted the creation of 50 digital hubs in rural areas and the relaunch of 45 "pink buses" to transport female students to schools, benefiting 8,000 girls. Smart classrooms equipped with digital boards have been introduced, and 100 rural schools are transitioning to solar energy through public-private partnerships.

Language courses in Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Japanese, and German are now available in collaboration with the National University of Modern Languages.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, PM's Coordinator on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam, and other senior government officials.