This is with reference to the speech of Chief Minister of Punjab while addressing a special training workshop held for the EDOS, DEOS and teacher at the Directorate of Staffs Development, Lahore. The Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif rightly said that education was the only way to steer the country out of the quagmire of poverty, ignorance, unemployment and other issues. After the 18th amendment to the constitution and the inclusion of article 25A, educations has been made a basic right of the citizen and the state is bound to provide education to all children between the ages of 5 to 16 years.
Sir Michel Barbaer, an educationist from United Kingdom, is implementing this roadmap that seeks 100 percent enrolment in primary schools and improvement in the quality of education at public schools.
Whatever roadmap and program the Punjab government may choose to achieve 100 percent enrolment and quality education in public schools, it will only be sustainable when local people, parents, elected representatives of national, prevocational and local governments will participate, take interest and take responsibility to ensure that all children are enrolled in the schools.
The initiatives of the Punjab Education Foundation have proved that private schools provide better quality education at one seventh of the cost of government schools.
There is a need of monitoring and regulating various private schools systems in the province while making it mandatory for them to sponsor the children of low income parents, to be enrolled up to 10 percent of a class.
There tuition fee, books, uniforms and other expenses should be provided by the Punjab government. It should also build more boarding and lodging schools in rural areas for the less privileged children so that they have the option of not opting for the madrassahs.
S T HUSSAIN
Lahore
