Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has said that the Punjab Educational Endowments Fund (PEEF) is a ray of hope for the under privileged people that provide them a platform to continue their journey of education. He addressed a PEEF ceremony held at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad.
He said the Punjab Chief Minister had initiated the Punjab Educational Endowments Fund eight years ago with Rs 1 billion which has now risen to Rs 17 billion. He said the government has disbursed Rs 7.5 billion scholarship among 178,000 needy students and all the scholarships are being provided on merit basis without any discrimination. He said that the recruitments of the government jobs were also being made on merits through NTS and not a single complaint had been reported against the merit.
He said the government was taking revolutionary measures to promote the quality education, especially for under privileged students that will move the country to the new height of development and prosperity. He said that the Danish School while terming it Aitcheson School for the needy students said that it was the hallmark measure meant for providing quality education to deprived segment. He said that no nation can make the development without the quality education in the society.
He said that the country was surrounded in two main issues including terrorism and load shedding. He said that the government had overcome the issues and taking all possible measures to ensure the quality life to the people.
He said that there is segment which always portrays negativisms, sabotaging the peace in the country. He pointed out that propaganda against baseless rigging in the polls gave nothing and wasted one year of the people. He said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor was a hallmark step.
He said that under the project, the new projects of the electricity are being initiated that will provide the electricity on low rate. He said that the government was ensuring transparency and merit.
PEEF Vice Chairman Dr Amjad Saqib said that under the current financial year, the total number of the PEEF would touch to 200,000 with the amount of Rs 11 billion. He said that the PEEF was started in 2009 in order to provide the financial assistance to the people. He said that 80 scholarships were being disbursed on merit while 20 percent on the quota for the orphan, disabled children, minority, and employees of the grade 1 to 4.
UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while praising measures being taken on the part of Punjab government said that education was vital for the development of any society. He added that under the PEEF, Rs 830 million has been disbursed in Faisalabad Division that benefited 19,945 students. He said that UAF 2,223 students got scholarships under the PEEF. He said that University was providing the consultancy to the government on the different issues of the education, agriculture and rural development. He said that Punjab Agriculture Policy was being revamped that would not increase the productivity but make the sector profitable. He lauded the Punjab Chief Minister for providing the 300 foreign scholarships. He said that the university was ensuring merit in the campus as per vision of Punjab Chief Minister.
GCUF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Ali said that 1262 GCUF needy students got the scholarships worth Rs 260 million. He said that the such initiatives motivate the people to continue their journey. He said that that quality education works as engine of the bright future of the society. GCWUF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Noureen Aziz Qureshi, Director Colleges Faisalabad Rana Munawar Director UAF Financial Assistance Dr Hafeez Sadaqat and other notables also attend the ceremony.