RAWALPINDI, Dec 17 (APP): Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, announcing the resumption of laptop scheme in colleges across the province, Tuesday said that intelligent and talented students would be sent abroad on scholarships.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was taking every positive step for the development of education sector, he said addressing a special ceremony held at Waqar-un-Nisa College to distribute shields and certificates of appreciation among college heads showing excellent performance in the admission campaign in Rawalpindi Division.
The minister said that a significant number out of the 3,000 students admitted to MBBS this year got admission on scholarships.
For the first time in the history of Punjab, he added, no corruption or influence was involved in posting and transfer of officials, rather merit was being kept in view in that regard. Women were given the responsibility of college directors in four divisions, he remarked.
Secretary Higher Education Dr. Farrukh Naveed, Additional Secretary Azam Khan, Director Public Instruction (Colleges) Punjab Dr Syed Ansar, Director Colleges Rawalpindi Professor Fatima, former director Professor Sher Ahmed Satti, heads of girls and boys colleges and other senior officials were present in the ceremony.
Minister Rana Sikandar said that the dream of development could not be realized without education.
“We want to empower women. Our women have a lot of talent,” he added.
The minister sad the government was pursuing a policy of increasing the number of scholarships for the talented students in public colleges and providing more facilities to the educational institutions.
After the successful experience of MDCAT and ECAT, more programmes were being initiated so that parents could educate their children easily, he added.
He urged the teachers to work hard to get the trust of citizens restored in government institutions, assuring that the government would fully back them in that regard.
Secretary Higher Education Dr Farrukh Naveed, in his remarks, praised the principals and staff of the Directorate Colleges for supporting government policies, especially increasing admissions in government colleges.
He hoped that all-out efforts would be made in helping the students give excellent results so that admissions could be doubled next year.
DPI Colleges Dr Syed Ansar appreciated the heads who achieved the targets in the admission campaign.
Professor Sher Ahmed Satti, who is retiring from the post of director, said that due to the special efforts of the college principles, teachers and DDEs of the four districts, the admission campaign was successful and assured the newly appointed Director Professor Fatima of his full support.
The provincial minister on the occasion raised the slogans of Pakistan Zindabad.
Some 24 colleges that met the target of 100 percent admissions were awarded shields and certificates of appreciation, while 18 colleges that achieved the target of 90 to 99 percent and 24 colleges that achieved 80 to 89 percent admissions, as well as the Superintendent of the Directorate, were given certificates of appreciation.