Pink buses now operational, NA panel told

Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mohiuddin Ahmed Wani, informed the National Assembly's Standing Committee that 99% of the buses, which had been out of service and left standing for years, are now functional.

He said 8,000 girls from rural areas are now using the "pink buses" to travel to urban schools. Regarding the shortage of facilities in schools, Wani assured the committee that the ministry will request additional funds in the upcoming budget to provide modern amenities, particularly in rural areas.

The meeting, chaired by Committee Chairman Azimuddin Zahid, also saw members express concern over the absence of Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. In response, the Chairman stated that the committee could issue a letter to the minister regarding his non-participation.

A report by the Special Committee on Educational Institutions of the Federal Directorate of Education was presented by the committee's convener, Abdul Aleem Khan. The report highlighted several key issues, including the availability of international language learning facilities, Google classrooms, football grounds, personal computer systems, and e-employment schemes in urban schools.