- Minister welcomes ADB support in formulation of education policy
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood has said that the education ministry will soon introduce a national education policy that will help address the humongous challenges facing in the field of education.
“We are currently assessing the situation, setting our goals and targets and we would like the support of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the formulation and implementation stages,” he said during his meeting with ADB Vice President Wencai Zhang and Country Director Xiaohong Yang, who called on him.
Wencai Zhang said that ADB was working for a long-time and has invested in many infrastructures and social sector projects not only in Pakistan but in other Asian countries including China, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He informed the minister about the different social sector projects particularly in the field of education that ADB is working on in Pakistan and in other countries.
He offered ADB support to the education minister in the technical and skill development fields and also in the formulation of the national education policy. He said that Pakistan should take benefit from the expertise of the ADB and ADB can provide technical support during the formulation and implementation of the national policy.
Wencai Zhang also informed Shafqat Mahmood that ADB was interested in working with Pakistan in the field of skill and capacity development. “Linkages must be developed among the skill development institutes and the job market so that the students after vocational and technical training can get immediate jobs,” he said.
Shafqat Mahmood appreciated the help and support offered by Wencai Zhang and stated that education and skill development are the main focus of the present government. According to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the education ministry was all set to introduce reforms, he said.
Another component is to work on the adult education, he said. Both the sides agreed to hold further meetings in this regard. Later, the minister was also called on by Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki and Japan’s Ambassador Takashi Kurai. Cooperation in the field of education was discussed and both the sides agreed on increased coordination and further meetings to find new avenues of cooperation in the education sector.
