Education imperative for society to excel in all sectors: Samina Alvi

MULTAN, Mar 01 (APP):Begum Samina Arif Alvi on Tuesday urged to take special focus on the education of persons with disabilities to transform them into dignified and productive citizens.

“We need to pay special attention to education sector and take immediate steps for special persons on priority to transform them into useful citizens,” she said while addressing a ceremony held at government secondary school for special persons in the city.

She said overall improvement of the education system was vital to bring a visible change in society. Begum Alvi hoped that Punjab government would take concrete steps to raise standard of education, adding, training of differently abled persons was as much important as other people.

Special children were intelligent and blessed with God gifted talent who would perform well if got a suitable platform, she said adding that they needed a purposeful education and training that could help them earn livelihood with dignity.

She recalled that she had paid special attention to education in the constituency of President Arif Alvi when he (The President) was Member Nation Assembly during the previous government tenure.
A list of 52 schools was then prepared where not only infrastructure was upgraded but also introduce latest education system.

She added that the schools included a railways school and the then minister for railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq had praised the initiative.

She commended services of Chief Executive Officer of “Taaray Zameen Per”(TZP) Trust Mrs Fadia Kashif for her work in education sector. “We all need to work together to bring special persons to the national mainstream.”

TZP education wing head Sakina Halai said TZP was doing whatever it could do to extend education facilities to special children, adding that TZP paid special attention to school repair and provided hearing aid to children with impaired listening capability.

She said TZP needed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with special education department to provide maximum assistance to special children enabling them earn to respectable livelihood after passing secondary school certificate.

Secretary special education Punjab Pervaiz Iqbal Butt thanked Begum Samina Alvi for taking special interest in the well being of the differently abled children.

He said around 303 special education institutions, in five different categories, were operational in the province.

He informed that the Punjab government wanted to set up a model village for special children with modern day facilities besides establishing a joy land and auditorium.
Among others district government officials also attended the event.