LAHORE: Punjab’s Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, presided over a meeting of the Chief Minister’s Advisory Committee for Education on Thursday. The meeting was attended the participation of senior officers, including the secretaries of School Education, Higher Education, Special Education, and Non-Formal Education.

During the session, the Education minister received a comprehensive briefing on the 100-day performance of the four educational departments.

Expressing his satisfaction, Rana Sikandar Hayat commended the officers, stating that their performance aligns with the vision of chief minister Punjab. He noted that the departments have accomplished more work in less time, placing them in a better position compared to three months ago.

He also said over the past three months, significant steps have been taken towards educational reforms. For the first time, student council elections were held to foster leadership skills among students, and a network of cheating mafias was dismantled.

The province recorded a historic enrolment of over 1.1 million students, a first in its 20-year history. The Education minister highlighted that new schools are being established at the divisional level for transgender individuals and working children.

He further said Student Health and Meal Programme, set to benefit more than 700,000 students, will be launched immediately after the summer vacations. Hayat also mentioned that school management has been empowered for the development of schools.

Additionally, technical courses are being introduced in more than 100 schools to teach technology, benefiting 10,000 students over the next four years. He further announced the introduction of an e-transfer policy for the first time in history.

The meeting included a briefing on the progress of handing over schools to the private sector. Consideration was given to developing an inclusive education policy, and a detailed discussion was held regarding the 5-year education plan. Regarding the School Meal Programme, the Education minister directed that a pilot project be launched in Rajanpur in collaboration with the World Food Programme, to be expanded across the province in phases. In this three-hour-long meeting, various recommendations were made for advancing educational projects and initiatives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024