The Punjab government has decided to give laptops to special children acquiring education from two degree colleges of Bahawalpur and Lahore. Similarly, cash prizes would also be given to position holders in secondary school examination in all boards of Punjab.
Senior Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab, Senator Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa presided over a meeting that reviewed various recommendations regarding bringing of special children in national mainstream. The issues of their education, collection of data, public awareness campaign, screening of special children throughout Punjab, increase in the scholarships under PEEF were also discussed.
The meeting was informed that provision of healthy environment to special children would remove sense of deprivation among them and expose their hidden capabilities. They would be provided free education and transport facilities along with a stipend of five hundred rupees to those children having 66 per cent attendance. The special children would also be provided free of cost uniform, academic books, quarter litre packet of milk, as well as free boarding and lodging facilities to the blind children. Expert trainers of Special Education Department would provide training to heads of 230 schools regarding special children. Special Education Department would fully cooperate with private institutions increasing the scope of special children.
The meeting was further informed that special salary package would be given to the teachers imparting education to special children. Secretaries of Higher Education, Social Welfare, Finance, Planning and Development and Special Education Departments, Additional Secretary (Schools) Dr Asad Aslam, Vice Chancellor KEMU, Managing Director Punjab Education Foundation, former justice Aamir Raza Khan, Dr Abdul Hameed, Dr Abdul Tawab Khan, Dr Khalid Jameel, Dr Haroon, Niaz Ullah Niazi and Khawar Naeem attended the meeting.