Education inculcates tolerance in society, says Pervez Ashraf

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Thursday said that education was a powerful vehicle for inculcating values of tolerance, moderation and coexistence among the younger generations.
Addressing the launch ceremony of O and A level classes at a school the prime minister said there was a dire need of optimists who had the courage to turn challenges into opportunities, hindrances into chances and words into action. They should be prepared to take on challenges through quality, modern and proper education, he added.
He said educational institutions had to come up to the expectations of the nation and inculcate these values in them. He urged these institutions to fulfil the need to foster a culture of research, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ashraf said the youth could be an asset to put the country on the path of progress and prosperity, and his presence at the event was a reflection of the government’s commitment to education.
He appreciated the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development and Federal Directorate of Education for introducing O and A level classes and yellow buses for schools. He complimented the ministry for encouraging educational institutions of Islamabad to move towards modern education. He hoped that professors and teachers would go the extra mile to impart quality education to students.
Ashraf said that spending on health and education would lead nation on a path to progress and achieve socio-economic development. He said knowledge had come to be identified as a factor of production and an engine of socio-economic development. “We are lucky that our country is blessed with immense natural and human resources and in order to leverage these advantages, we need to promote education,” he added.
Ashraf said that investment in human resource development was not a privilege but an imperative to achieve a respectable place in the comity of nations. He said, “We need to determine the nature and substance of education and develop it.”
He called for the prioritisation of educational needs and emphasised the need to depart from traditional and general education and focus on science, engineering and technology. “Our educational policies need to be aligned with demands of the market and industry and we need professionals duly equipped with modern education in their respective fields to cater to emerging challenges,” he added.
He recommended a liaison between markets and educational institutions to produce requisite a work-force to meets the demands of the industry. The prime minister said that education should be complemented with training and character building as they should go hand in hand. He said under the 18th amendment, the government had devolved education to federating units thereby empowering them to provide education. The federal government would only help them in terms of policy guidelines, he added.
The prime minister said he had great expectations from students and the country had faith in their capabilities. Highlighting the importance of parents and school management in the education system, the prime minister said that students must be allowed to take independent decisions regarding their education and careers, he advised parents to let their children listen to their inner voice and pursue their dreams and refrain from imposing decisions on them.
He urged teachers to improve the educational standard of government sponsored schools.
Appreciating the Yellow School Bus scheme, he said it was a great step toward resolving transport problems of school children. He said these busses would be part and parcel of the school system.
He said the government would provide sufficient funds to meet all education and health needs so students could continue their education.