LONDON, Jan 24 (APP):Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood said on Thursday that provision of quality education, enhanced in literacy rate with skill development and bringing back dropout children to schools were the priorities of the government.
He stated this at a discussion with Pakistani students of different institutions of the United Kingdom at local hotel.
The discussion was organized by Hamza Tariq Chaudhry President South Asia Society London School of Economics and Political Science in collaboration with Bridge an NGO working for promotion of global education.
Faisal Rashid Member of the UK Parliament moderated the discussion.
Murad Raas Minister for the Punjab province also participated in the discussion.
Speaking on the occasion, Shafqat Mehmood who was currently visiting UK for attending
Education World Forum (EWF) highlighted the government’s priority to improve literacy, provide skill
training and education to the out of school children.
He said that without improving literacy rate and quality education both public and private
schools to the students, the socio-economic prosperity could not be achieved.
Therefore, he said that government was focusing on the promotion of quality education across
the country.
He added that uniform national curriculum would be introduced with consensus in all
educational institutions for single national certificate.
The Minister said that Pakistan’s literacy rate was only 58 percent while 42 percent could not
read and write.
He regretted that 42 million children were out of school adding said that it was the priority
of the government to bringing back out of school children to the schools.
He said that more schools were being established to ensure that maximum number of children
should benefit from the education.
Shafqat Mehmood also stressed on the importance of adapting to modern means of education
through the use of latest technology for all school children.
He reiterated the government commitment to enhance the literacy rate from existing 58 percent
to 70 percent for the economic prosperity of the country.
He said that government was making efforts to enhance the development budget of the education
sector.
The Minister urged the Pakistani students getting higher education in various universities in
the world including the UK to come to Pakistan and take part in different sectors including education
sectors as Pakistan’s economy was improving.
“Pakistan can benefit from their talent and expertise and their participation would be great
contribution and services to their motherland”, he remarked.
He said “We need best talented people like graduates from the UK universities”.
Murad Raas speaking on the occasion said that Punjab government has taken a number of steps
for promotion of quality education in the province, besides taking steps to bring back out of school
children into schools.
He added that sending of children had been made mandatory for parents while benefits were also
being given to them to encourage them to send their children to schools.
Faisal Rashid in his remarks appreciated the steps taken by the Pakistan government for
promotion of education in the Pakistan.
The students on the occasion also raised different questions relating to economic and
educational priorities of the government.
Most of them desired to return to Pakistan after completing their education if provided them
good working environment and serve their motherland.
Hamza Tariq Chaudhry highlighted the objective of their organization to create a platform for
Pakistani students studying in various institutions including UK to know about their motherland.
