Punjab Education Minister Mian Imran Masood has said that a strategy has been evolved for expanding and promotion of higher education facilities in Punjab.
Talking to Business Recorder here on Friday night, he disclosed that the budget of education sector would be enhanced to Rs 80 billion during next fiscal period aimed at attaining the fixed target in the province.
Another big project, costing rupees five billion had been commenced and under the programme, the government would select four colleges in each district, of which one would be declared as "Model College," at a cost of rupees two billion, in each district of the province, he revealed.
The Provincial Education Minister said under the programme, principals of the colleges were being given freehand for initiating new subjects, including information technology, home economics, mass communication and commerce, besides industry-related subjects in accordance with local needs without obtaining approval of the government in their respective colleges.
Imran Masood said the government was making adequate efforts for ensuring quality education in all educational institutions, adding that extra-ordinary efforts were being made for overcoming the shortage of teaching staff in Punjab. More than 35,000 teachers would soon be recruited purely on the basis of merit, aimed at filling the gap in the educational institutions, he disclosed.
The Minister further stated that a foolproof examination system had been introduced, aimed at purging the malpractice and cheating practices from the system in the province. The government would not tolerate bamboozle in examinations and persons involved in this practice would taken to task, he added.
Imran Masood disclosed that Rs 150 million had been provided to each district government for providing missing facilities in educational institutions of the province.
He claimed that the literacy rate in the province had considerably increased while the dropout ratio was at the lowest ebb in Punjab, and said Sialkot was on the top where the ratio of literacy rate was 95 percent and 100 percent children had been enrolled under Universal Primary Education in the district.
The Minister stressed upon the teachers community to called off their strike for the larger national interest, adding that the government was making all out efforts to resolve their problems, including increase in their allowances.