PEIRA distributes free books

ISLAMABAD: Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) started distribution of free text books to more than 56,000 students from class one to 10 in a ceremony held at a school today.

Last year, the authority distributed free text books worth Rs8 million to 42,000 students while this year more than 56,000 students will be given free books worth Rs 10 million.

Federal Secretary for Education Imtiaz Kazi, as a chief guest, inaugurated the book distribution process by presenting sets of free books to few of the students. Addressing the participants, Imtiaz Kazi said that this is the second year that the students of private institutions will be given free books which is a healthy tradition to motivate the students toward learning.

Private sector is contributing efficiently in every field of life especially in education as 34 percent students from class one to university level are getting education in private institutes, heobserved. The government aspires to initiate supplement efforts to promote and facilitate the private education sector in their efforts for spreading knowledge, he said.

Imtiaz Kazi advised the principals and owners of the institutes to make sports activity a compulsory part for the students in their daily study routine as sports help nourish their mental and physical capabilities. He also emphasized on promoting library culture from primary level in private institutions to inculcate reading habits among the students at their initial learning stages.

Talking to APP, Chairman PEIRA Atif Mehmood Kiyani said the authority distributes free text books to the students of registered private educational institutions charging fee less than Rs 300 per month. Since its establishment in 2006, PEIRA took a number of initiatives for the promotion of private schools through registering more than 650 private institutions and arranging different teachers training programmes.