A consultative seminar on proposals for comprehensive educational policy was held on Tuesday in which participants came up with various suggestions for betterment of the provincial education system. Besides this seven different groups assigned to come up with recommendations for comprehensive educational policy also presented their findings in the seminar.
A large number of people from different walks of life including teachers and educationists, Secretary School Education Department Nadeem Ashraf, District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Lahore Sajjad Ahmad Bhutta, Director Public Instructions (DPI) Secondary Mian Abdul Haq, DPI Elementary Chaudhry Abdul Rasheed, other officials of the education department and some members of provincial assembly (MPAs) were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Nadeem Ashraf said unfortunately the education sector could not be prioritised in the past despite the fact that highest rate of retain came from education. He said 11 such seminars had already been organised in different parts of the province, adding the recommendations and proposals coming through these events would be utilised for chalking out a comprehensive educational policy.
Secretary schools further said that chief minister had given top priority to education adding besides funds of Rs five billion for provision of computer labs in over 4,500 schools Rs one billion had been allocated to award performance based incentives to teachers.
DCO said the consultative seminar was a meaningful exercise, which would be providing a draft policy chapter from Lahore district like other parts of the province. Presenting recommendations of one of the groups, Professor Dr Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal from the Punjab University's Institute of Education & Research (IER) said it had been recommended that at least six to seven percent of the GNP should be allocated for education. He added that provision of missing facilities including qualified teachers was also one of the recommendations.
He also recommended appointment of at least two teachers in all the primary schools of the province besides induction of more and more teachers against the vacant posts. Representatives from other groups also presented their recommendations.