Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak approved the release of already approved grant of Rs 284 million for Frontier Education Foundation (FEF). He was presiding over 36th meeting of the Board of Directors of Frontier Education Foundation at Chief Minister Secretariat Peshawar. Provincial Minister for Finance Muzaffar Said, Advisor to Chief Minister on Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, Secretary Higher Education, Vice Chancellor of Engineering University of Technology, MD NEF and other attended.
The meeting accorded approval to the previous meeting's minutes and discussed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa China Economic Cooperation Plan and different strategies, the budget estimates of the foundation, the future plan for financial help to private educational institutions and a briefing were arranged in this regard.
He also approved the up-gradation of posts from BPS-16 to BPS-17 to the master degree holders and scholarships out of the endowment fund. He directed to evolve a strategy to financially support the private colleges where there was shortage of public sector educational institutions.
The Chief Minister agreed to the proposal of establishing Chinese languages centers in Peshawar, Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra in the backdrop of CPEC. In the 2nd Phase such centers should be established in the southern districts and Malakand division that would enable the youth of the whole of the province to get benefit of the CPEC and contribute to the process of development in the province. The meeting was informed about the students scholarships from different Chinese Universities adding that 100 Scholarships have been arranged in the Shangdong Normal University and the scholars would be sent in the beginning of 1st week of September. The scholars have been given 50% concession in tuition and residential fee. In Harbin Engineering University and Shanghai University 100 each scholarships on the same pattern has been given while 40 scholarships were ready in the Tianjin Modern Vocational Technology College for Diploma while the province would secure scholarships of Ministry of Dalian.
It was also informed that belt and road commercial company has also offered 75% vocational, technical and professional training. Similar offer was also given by Beijing Hydes Commerce. 300 students who got scholarships would be formally sent to China after a special event in August 2017.
The Chief Minister was also informed about four Chinese languages center in Peshawar, Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra, out of which three language centres in Peshawar, Abbottabad and Haripur would be functional by August 10, 2017. The meeting was further informed about the process for the up-gradation of multimedia languages lab of the foundation.
The Chief Minister agreed to the procedure of scholarships by the foundation. The meeting was also informed about the census of the private education sector adding that it would be held in 14 districts of the province in the first phase that will cost Rs 4 million. Chief Minister directed to follow the rules and regulations for the recruitment of Managing Director of Frontier Education Foundation. The process should be initiated after proper publicity and advertisement in the media.