'Government attaches top priority to promotion of education'

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that government is attaching top priority to the promotion of education and special attention is being paid to the provision of necessary facilities in educational institutions. Similarly, he said, due attention is being paid to teachers training and ensuring their attendance.
He was presiding over a meeting held regarding provision of basic facilities in educational institutions of the province, here Tuesday. Member National Assembly Saira Afzal Tarar, Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretary Schools, M D Danish School System, educational experts and officers concerned were present. Dr Allah Baksh Malik gave a detailed briefing regarding provision of facilities in educational institutions.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said the Punjab government had evolved a comprehensive strategy for promotion of education and provision of facilities in educational institutions in the far-flung areas. He said IT Labs had been set up in more than 4000 schools of the province at a cost of RS 5 billion which will benefit 3.2 million students.
He said the government would ensure that educational institutions had boundary walls, furniture, water and toilets. He said that special attention should be paid to the provision of such facilities in girls' schools so that they could continue their studies in a better atmosphere. He directed that recommendations should be evolved regarding provision of facilities in educational institutions so that a comprehensive strategy could be evolved for this purpose.
He directed state-of-the-art-training centre should be established in the provincial capital for master trainers and proposals should also be submitted in this regard. He said that steps should be taken to overcome teachers' shortage problems, and special attention should be paid to their training.
He said that an effective system should be developed for monitoring of IT labs and DCOs should be bound to send monthly reports in this regard. He directed MD Danish School System Yousaf Kamal to give a detailed briefing on the centres of excellence and a separate briefing on making science laboratories functional in schools. The participants of the meeting gave their proposals regarding provision of facilities in educational institutions.