Minister for Education Punjab Mian Imran Masood lauded the role of private educational institutions for enhancing literacy rate and said that efforts of private institutions can not be ignored in the existing literacy rate of the province, which is 62 percent.
He said this while speaking at the gold medals awarding ceremony arranged by APPSWA in his honour here on Thursday. Imran Masood said the government would extend its full cooperation and financial assistance to the private educational institutions and more private institutions would be included in the Punjab Education Foundation's funded programmes.
President APPSWA Syed Zulqarnain Shah said that by the end of December 2007, the number of students would be increased up to one million. He praised the Education Minister for taking steps for enhancing education standard and protecting rights of the private educational institutions.
Under the directions of Education Minister, PEF provided financial assistance to the private schools and introduced various schemes for the betterment and welfare of these institutions, which is laudable, he said.
Later, the President APPSWA, Syed Zulqarnain Shah awarded gold medals to Education Minister, Mian Imran Masood and MD PEF Dr Allah Baksh Malik on behalf of private schools in recognition of their efforts for the promotion of education.
Labour Minister, Rana Mohammad Qasim Noon, MD PEF Dr Allah Baksh Malik, Sadiq Siddiqui, Sheikh Javed Aziz, Major Khalid Pervez (Retd), Mehmood Khan, Rana Ashraf, Fareed Khan Bangash, Mian Altaf Hossain Bodla, Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Akram and office bearers of APPSWA and owners of private schools attended the function.