Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Thursday stressed for imparting quality education to students and said progress of a nation depends on its youth, highly educated in science and engineering. He was addressing the prize distribution ceremony for the Position holders of Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examinations and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) of Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), at the PM Secretariat.
The Prime Minister said unless quality education is imparted to young children, the nation would not be able to achieve a respectable place in the world. He said the youth of today is the country's future leadership and added educated youth could help them take prudent decisions to steer the country ahead. He said education in engineering and sciences is vital to help them succeed in a highly competitive world. He stressed the role of teachers in helping their students distinguish between the right and wrong. Prime Minister Ashraf also urged upon the parents and religious scholars for inculcating the students a positive approach towards their lives.
He regretted that some anti-state elements are busy in luring young minds for their nefarious activities, adding that education is the only way to save them falling prey to the extremist mindset. He said though after devolution under the 18th Amendment, education is now a provincial subject, yet Federal Government is fully aware of its responsibilities in this regard.
He said it is unfortunate that around four million children still had no access to education, including a large proportion of girls. He expressed his concern over the issue and said urgent measures are being taken to ensure that all young children get the requisite education. He said the government is committed to the successful achievement of the Millennium Development Goals 2015 and would utilise all resources in this regard.
Prime Minister Raja Ashraf paid rich tributes to young Malala Yousafzai and her fellow students who were attacked by unknown terrorists in Mingora. He lauded their courage and valour, and urged students and people to pray to Allah Almighty for their early recovery.
Earlier, the Prime Minister handed over prizes and medals to the position holders of HSSC and SSC annual examination. He shook hands with the young students and patted them for their remarkable performance. The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of the students who achieved top positions due to their hard work. He also appreciated the efforts of their teachers and parents for helping them achieve this high stature.
He hoped that with continued hard work, they would bring a good name to the country and achieve success in their ventures in life. Prime Minister Ashraf particularly appreciated the two position-holder students belonging to Institute of Islamic Studies - a Madrassa at Satra Meel, Islamabad, and said they are great role models for balancing education and religion side-by-side.
He said these Hafiz-e-Quran students are a great example for being the best both at academic curriculum and at religious education. He mentioned the Hadith of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) which specifically states about making all out efforts to achieve knowledge.
He directed the Minister for Education to personally visit the madrassa, whose students won positions and ensure provision of the facilities, the institution required. Federal Minister for Education and Training Sheikh Waqas Akram said education opens up windows of opportunity for the youth to advance in all fields of human life. He lauded the performance and examination results of FBISE and congratulated the position holders. Chairperson FBISE Dr Shaheen Khan said FBISE is the only education Board in the country with ISO certification. She mentioned that the overall pass percentage of 2012 examinations of HSSC and SSC was 81.35. The event was also attended by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira and Minister for Capital Administration and Development Nazar Gondal. Teachers and parents of the position holders were also present.