Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan on Monday asserted that the government had cleared the education department from all sort of political interference and ensure merit in it.
Addressing inaugural ceremony of Government Primary School No.3 Phase-VI, Hayatabad Peshawar, he said the education was the only way for real change in the society adding that until and unless each and every child was not educated, a dream of progress and prosperity could not be materialized.
He further said that education was the top priority area of PTI-led KP government and therefore it earmarked for the first time an amount more than 100 billion rupees for this important sector.
The minister said that education department was a huge one and it could not be streamlined overnight and would definitely take time, however he added that the department was put on right direction and 80 % problems of the department had sorted out.
He continued to saying that the government schools had a vast network and more than 40 million students were studying in these schools but due to apathy of past governments no proper attention was given to these schools and half of the schools remained deprived of basic facility.
Atif Khan maintained, soon after coming into power, the incumbent government prepared a plan of Rs 43 billion for ensuring basic facility at state run schools and up till now, he added more than Rs 16 billion had been spent on provision of these facilities.
He added that 25,000 teachers had been recruited while monitoring system was introduced to check the attendance of teachers and students which was yielding positive result.
Eulogizing the service of UNCHR and RAHA in education and other sectors, the minister hoped that they would continue their support to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
Earlier, he inaugurated the school for which the provincial government had acquired the land at a cost of Rs.200 million while construction work done by the RAHA and UNHCR at cost of Rs.112.7 million. The UNHCR had so far spent Rs.277 million in 31 schools of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it was informed on the occasion.
Beside others, the Federal Secretary SAFRON Arbab Muhammad Shehzad, Ambassador of Germany in Pakistan Ina Lepel, UNHCR representative Indrika Ratwatte, UNCHR Local Head Oscar Mundia and school principal Mubarak Hussain were also present on the occasion.