*CM eyes hundred percent enrollment of children in schools by May 2016
Hundred percent enrollment of children in schools will be ensured in the province by May 31, 2016 under the enrollment campaign, said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Students Enrollment Campaign 2014 at the Chief Minister’s office on Wednesday. Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Mckinsey country head Salman Ahmed, members of Punjab cabinet, National and Punjab Assembly members, secretary education, Punjab Educational Endowment Fund vice chairman, educationists, teachers, parents and a large number of students were present on the occasion.
The chief minister said that education is the only way for eliminating poverty and unemployment, achieving progress and prosperity of the country as well as the goal of self-reliance. He lamented that education sector was badly neglected in the past and a huge loss was caused to the country in the form of wastage of time and resources. He said that tireless and strenuous efforts are needed for making up this loss and practical measures will have to be taken for achieving educational targets.
Shahbaz Sharif said that education is the secret of success and prosperity. He said that spread of knowledge to every nook and corner of the country is essential for achieving a dignified status for the country in the comity of nations. He said that Pakistan is facing terrorism, corruption, nepotism and a number of other challenges and education is the only solution to these problems, adding that there is no dearth of resources in the country and the poor situation in education sector is the result of loot, corruption, lack of will, misuse of resources and absence of an effective accountability system.
The chief minister said that it is time for collective efforts and struggle for changing the existing obsolete system. He said that Pakistan is lagging far behind in the field of education and even some countries of South Asia are far ahead of Pakistan. He said that the goals of national development and progress cannot be achieved without bringing a revolution in education sector.
He said that 65 percent population of the country is living in rural areas while 35 percent in cities and there is a need to equip the rural population with education to achieve the goals of progress and development.
Shahbaz Sharif said that a solid strategy has been adopted in the province for the promotion of education and billions of rupees are being spent on provision of missing facilities in schools. He said that process of provision of missing academic facilities in all primary schools for girls in the province and in all primary schools of South Punjab will be completed this year.
He said that a realistic policy has been adopted for ensuring availability of teachers in schools in accordance with the number of students. He said that teachers deserve all respect and solution of their genuine problems and difficulties is the responsibility of the state.
The chief minister said that an ordinary citizen has as much right over quality education as the elite and the Punjab government is granting them this right.