LAHORE : Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that Pakistan is facing serious internal and external challenges and the PTI government is determined for bringing improvement in the national economy and to uplift the living standard of the common man.
Addressing a ceremony in connection with Salam Teachers’ Day at Awan-e-Iqbal on Saturday, he said there was a hype of a “long march” and if the march was so necessary it should be for the eradication of poverty, unemployment, backwardness besides improving health and education-related facilities. “I myself will participate in that march. Positive results of our sincere efforts will soon be surfaced,” he added. The chief minister also distributed commendatory certificates among teachers for outstanding performance. He said that role of teachers in setting approach and thinking of students was of great importance. “What am I today is because of my teachers and I salute them.” Usman Buzdar said that he was feeling proud to participate in the Salam Teachers’ Day ceremony. He said that teachers were among most respected personalities of society. “The Punjab government has taken a number of steps for the welfare of teachers. Our government has declared year 2019 the Teachers’ year. For the first time, an e-transfer policy has been introduced in the history of the province and 20,000 teachers have been transferred purely on merit in the first phase of the policy,” he added.
“In order to get rid of the cramming culture in public schools, it has been decided to impart education in the Urdu medium at primary level initially,” he said and announced abolishing board exams for class 5 students and to issue Insaf Health Cards to teachers and their family members. He said that under the Chief Minister Award Scheme, cash prizes of Rs500,000 each and commendatory certificates would be awarded to best male and female teachers in every district whereas cash prizes would also be distributed among headmistresses for their best services in schools. He also announced that a school from every district would be named after a teacher for their extraordinary services in the educational sector. He said the service record of teachers had been compiled online under Human Resource Management System and Paperless Management was being arranged for teachers. “Modules have been prepared for providing training to teachers at tehsil level. The process of availing 25 casual leave without fine has been ensured for teachers. Similarly, training has been arranged for 400,000 teachers in QAED under the auspices of the Education Department. The Punjab government is providing training to teachers in elementary colleges at a cost of Rs1.5 billion. A professional development programme of skills methodology has been devised for them,” he added.
“The Punjab government is bringing the Punjab Education Professional Standard Council Bill for the welfare of teachers. One hundred model schools have been established in 10 districts whereas construction of 25,000 new classrooms at primary level is being carried out in 13 districts. A project has been planned for setting up 1000 science labs, 1,000 computer labs and 400 libraries in schools. Over 615 new classrooms will be constructed under the Early Childhood Education Plan,” he said and added that free textbooks worth more than Rs4 billion had been provided annually to students of public schools. “An operation has been launched for curbing drug paddlers who are operating outside educational institutions throughout the province,” he said and disclosed that only in 15 days, 770 cases had been registered against drug traffickers in Punjab.
He said a programme had been devised for converting 10,800 schools of southern Punjab to the solar system. “It has been decided to establish 100 Insaf Afternoon Schools and ten Mobile Schools in Lahore. “Over 205,000 children of Lahore do not go to school and they will be enrolled in these schools. Instructions have been given to fill vacant posts of 4,500 intern college teachers in government colleges whereas 400 posts have been allocated for minorities and differently-able people. During one year, six new general universities and four technical universities are being established in Punjab. Special funds have been allocated for providing training to teachers in European countries,” he said and thanked the DFID for its cooperation for the betterment of the education sector in Punjab.
He said additional classrooms were being constructed in 2,000 schools in Punjab with the cooperation of the DFID besides ensuring the provision of missing facilities in the schools. “The DFID has provided approximately 38 million pounds for improving the condition of schools and the education sector in Punjab. The PTI government has made a substantial increase in funds for schools councils. The PTI government after approval of the cabinet has given authority to school councils on funds amounting to Rs4m to Rs5m whereas it was Rs.3 to 5 lakh only in the past,” he added.
Provincial Minister for Schools Murad Raas, addressing the ceremony, said t Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s support had been a prime mover of all initiatives taken by the Punjab government for the betterment of teachers and the education sector. “We faced many challenges regarding e-transfer policy but at the end we succeeded. Everything regarding teachers will be available online within a year and shortage of teachers will soon be overcome,” he said and stressed upon the teachers to pay full attention to impart quality education to children. School Education Secretary Iram Bukhari said that every year, Teacher of the Year Award would be given away to a teacher of the province with a cash prize of one million rupees whereas the picture of the teacher winning the award would be displayed in the offices of the education minister and the secretary. The ceremony was also addressed by teachers. A large number of teachers, students, educationists and people from various walks of life attended it.