PM orders week-long school reforms

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the urgent implementation of reforms in infrastructure, curriculum, teacher training and other areas in Islamabad's government schools, ordering the resolution of their outstanding issues within a week.

Chairing a high-level meeting on reforms in the federal capital's government schools, the prime minister directed Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to ensure that the identified issues were addressed within the stipulated timeframe.

He ordered the authorities to mobilise all available resources to resolve infrastructure problems on an emergency basis, stressing that providing students with a safe learning environment was the government's responsibility.

The prime minister also directed the launch of a free lunch programme in government schools to ensure adequate nutrition for students and ordered the installation of smart boards in all institutions at the earliest.

He called for a comprehensive strategy to transform the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) into an efficient and effective institution, stressing that teachers should focus exclusively on teaching and educational activities rather than being assigned other duties. He also directed that teacher recruitment be conducted strictly on merit.