Minister calls for education emergency

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Saturday stressed the need to declare an education emergency in the country, citing the alarming number of out-of-school children.

He was addressing the concluding ceremony of a teachers' training programme for 100 newly established schools, organised by the Directorate General of Basic Education Community Schools at Nazeer Hussain University.

The minister said that promoting education remained the government's top priority, adding that institutions like Nazeer Hussain University were playing a leading role in driving an educational transformation. "From Islamabad to Karachi, a new phase of development in the education sector is underway," he added.

Referring to international models, the minister said Pakistan aimed to adopt successful practices seen in Brazil, where children from underprivileged backgrounds are provided access to quality education with dignity, enabling them to become productive members of society.

Expressing concern, Siddiqui said that around 25 million children in Pakistan were out of school, while poverty forced one in every five children to drop out after the age of 10. "We must declare an education emergency, as education and awareness are the only guarantees of a prosperous and bright future," he said.

He paid tribute to female teachers working under challenging conditions, stating that despite limited resources and low salaries, they continued to play a vital role in shaping the nation's future. He added that such schools would be transformed into centres of learning producing knowledge and skilled individuals.

The event witnessed active participation from teachers, who termed the training programme highly beneficial. At the conclusion, the minister distributed shields, gifts, and essential items among the participants and schools.