Schools’ facilities in Punjab from past decade not enough

LAHORE: Minister for Punjab School Education Murad Raas during a meeting of the chief executive officers (CEO) of District Education Authority (DEA) of Lahore division at the committee room of Minister’s Block on Sunday was informed that a total of 154 buildings of public schools in Lahore were in a dilapidated condition, out of which some 72 were in critical danger and that the department requires Rs1063 million to fix these educational buildings.

Lahore DEA CEO Naseem Zahid also raised the issue of monthly shares of Provincial Finance Commission (PFC), payment of pension benefit to retired employees of an ex-MCL cadre of the department and re-validation of lapsed funds.

Moreover, a total of 587 schools in the city have a shortage of furniture for students. Naseem Zahid has in a proposal has said that Rs 207 million is needed for furniture, upraising boundary walls with razor wires, constructing toilets and earth filling etc.

It is pertinent to mention that the minister Murad Raas is holding division-wise meetings with the CEOs of DEAs in Punjab.

Faisalabad DEA CEO Ali Ahmad Sian informed the minister that public schools in Faisalabad require at least 5,000 new classrooms.  Besides, 3,861 new toilets are also needed in these schools.  He said that there is a large number vacant posts of headmasters and headmistresses as 97 schools were without male heads, while 126 female high and higher secondary schools were also missing someone on the top post.

The Jhang DEA CEO informed the meeting that 124 primary and elementary schools in his district had no boundary walls.

Similarly, Toba Tek Singh DEA CEO informed that 120 posts of headmasters, senior headmasters and principals were lying vacant in public schools of his district due to the slow process of promotion and 172 schools in the district are without boundary walls.

The CEO of Sheikhupura DEA highlighted the need for additional classrooms in schools of his district saying some 335 classrooms were required on an emergency basis to accommodate students.

Along with others cities of the province, Nankana Sahib District DEA CEO  complained that there is a shortage of administrative heads of around  40 per cent schools of the district where students have forgotten what a principal and headmaster is.

The meetings reviewed different proposals for solving the problems, including the repair and maintenance of derelict buildings, provision of water filtration plants and missing facilities.

It is pertinent to mention that Punjab SED has revised the meeting plan and as per schedule, the meetings will now be held to focus on the issues of government schools in each district of a particular administrative division.

Meetings coming up are in Gujranwala on September 4, Multan on September 5, Bahawalpur on September 6, Dera Ghazi Khan (DG Khan) on September 7, Rawalpindi on September 10 and Sahiwal on September 11.