A memorandum of understanding between Programme Monitoring and Implement Unit (PMIU), School Education Department, United Nations Children's Funds (Unicef) and Punjab Rural Support Programme (PRSP) was signed in a special ceremony, here on Friday. Under MoU the School Councils in 4,500 school selected from six related districts will be reactivated and reorganised.
The ceremony was attended by Secretary School Education, Nadeem Ashraf and high-ranking officers of the department. Chief Operating Officer PRSP Abid Saeed, Provincial Chief Unicef Dr Deepak Bhatachariya and Project Director PMIU signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
Stating on the occasion, the Secretary School Education said that Punjab government is following a sector wise development approach in the education sector to improve the access and quality of education and governance in the education sector. Amongst other out comes the Punjab government is also focusing on development governing structure that is capable of optimally utilising the resources and seeking stakeholders involvement and participation to improve overall schooling service.
Principal Areas for collaboration will concern the promotion of children's rights for education. PMIU and PRSP are planning to develop the capacity of School Councils in 35 districts of Punjab. Unicef is supporting six districts in Punjab including Kasur, Sheikhupura, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Sargodha and Mianwali with the funding provided by Norwegian government and regular sources, while PRSP has successfully implemented PERSP pilot School Councils Programme in two selected districts of Punjab namely Faisalabad and Gujrat.
As per details of memorandum, objectives of projects are to develop awareness of school children about health, hygiene, and sanitation and examine critically their school environment. The school council in target primary and secondary schools are to be reactivated to perform their role and responsibility to promote hygienic practice among children and community.
This project will result in bringing about a behavioral change among the school children vis-a-vis with personal hygiene factor. Role of PMIU Punjab Education Department is to monitor the project activities and verify monthly progress report on the basis of this verification funds will be released to Punjab Education Sector Reform Programme as per agreement signed between Unicef, PRSP and PMIU. Unicef will provide financial resources.
Unicef in co-ordination with the PMIU will conduct regular monitoring and provide feed back technical support and necessary guidance when required. PRSP will play an active role for the implementation of activities of the project including capacity building of school councils, orientations of teachers and council members on school sanitation, hygiene and health screening. Under this programme, teachers will be facilitated in forming hygiene club responsible for monitoring of overall physical environment of schools, he added.
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