Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced to enhance annual amount of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) from Rs 2 billion to Rs 4 billion and said that educational scholarships will be given to 200,000 deserving talented students during next one year. The Chief Minister also announced to give scholarships for MSc to the talented students belonging to FATA on merit basis under PEEF and added that provision of resources for equipping the sons and daughters of the nation with education is not expenses but a useful investment for the bright future of the nation.
He made this announcement while addressing the function held on achieving the target of provision of educational scholarship to 100,000 students under PEEF at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, here Friday. Shahbaz said that not only Punjab but the less-privileged but hardworking and talented male and female students of Sindh, Balochistan, KPK, Azad Kashmir, FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan have been included in this splendid programme of provision of scholarships which is promoting national solidarity.
The Chief Minister said that if all units of Pakistan will progress, then Pakistan will progress and in view of this purpose, all units of the country have been included in educational programmes of Punjab. He said that 1,00,000 sons and daughters of the nation have got educational scholarships under PEEF and Rs 5.61 billion have been distributed among intelligent students from the income of this fund of billions of rupees. He said that the doors of higher education have been opened for the talented students facing financial constraints through PEEF.
The Chief Minister said that millions of children like PEEF scholars Nasir Mehmood, Saba Safdar and Irfan Samuel are in the country who have the desire of getting education but the poverty was hurdle in getting education and the doors of quality education are closed for them. He said that Punjab government has set up biggest education endowment fund in the history of the world for such students through which opportunities have been provided for talented girl and boy students of poor families to get education in local and foreign prestigious educational institutions.
Mentioning the progress of China, the Chief Minister said that China has become the second big military and economic power of the world due to hardworking and continuous struggle and its foreign reserves are four trillion dollars whereas it has achieved average 9.9 percent growth rate during last 30 years and have brought 500 million people out of poverty.
He said that now Chinese development is famous in the world whereas after completing 68 years of our freedom, we are still only making promises of steering the country out of poverty, ignorance and unemployment. He said that Pakistan is rich in resources and despite hardworking farmers and the nation, the country is still lagged behind the development which is a matter of grate concern.
Referring to the co-operation of DFID in education, health and other sectors, the Chief Minister said that DFID is extending full co-operation in skill development, education and health sectors, upon which, we are thankful to it. He said that DFID is our partner in PEEF and is aware of our transparency and merit policy and knows that this educational fund is also free from any political interference.
Shahbaz thanked Vice Chairman PEEF Dr Amjad Saqib, Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood, Secretary Education, former Justice Aamir Raza and PEEF Board of Directors with regard to educational endowment fund and said that if these people do not cooperate, his efforts does not bear fruit. He said that we will change the destiny of the country and the nation jointly and remover darkness of ignorance from the motherland and Pakistan will stand at its own feet.
Earlier, Vice Chairman PEEF Dr Amjad Saqib addressing the function said that today is a historic day when the target of one lakh scholarships has been achieved under PEEF. He said that seven years ago, this programme was started and millions of talented children are benefiting from this fund. He said that the promise and commitment made by Chief Minister Punjab has been fulfilled and PEEF has become the biggest fund of the country.
He said that intelligent children of the poor families are getting education in LUMS, NUST, FAST, GC and other local and foreign prestigious educational institutions through this fund.
Vice Chancellor Punjab University Dr Mujahid Kamran said that PEEF has brought a revolution in education and millions of students are getting education through this fund. He paid rich tributes to Shahbaz Sharif as less-privileged students are getting higher education due to his efforts. Judith Herbertson of UK Aid addressing the function said that PEEF is playing very important role in promotion of education and UK will continue its co-operation with Punjab for promotion of education. She said that efforts of Punjab government for promotion of education are commendable.
Minister of State Baligh-ur-Rehman, Vice Chairman PEEF Dr Amjad Saqib, Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood, Chairman Higher Education Punjab Dr Nizamuddin, Provincial Ministers, members national and provincial assemblies, columnists, intellectuals, educationists, PEEF scholars, their parents, vice chancellors of universities, teachers and people belonging to all segments of society attended the function in large numbers.
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