Sending out-of-school children to schools is govt's top-most priority: Shafqat Mehmood

ISLAMABAD:  Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood on Sunday said that sending out-of-school children to schools is the government's top-most priority. He sent a special message to Pakistani students on the occasion of the International Education Day.

"Education is the key to the country's progress and prosperity," Shafqat Mehmood said in his message, adding that it is the "right of every child to have equal educational opportunities and facilities," therefore, the government is working to ensure that on every level.

As reported by Geo.tv, the minister also spoke about the disruption of educational activities because of the coronavirus pandemic and said that the government is employing efforts and mobilising its resources to make up for the loss of time that students had to suffer due to the lockdown.

"It is our national duty to equip the younger generation of Pakistan with the power of education, and all classes of society must play a part in ensuring that," he said. 

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

The third International Day of Education (January 24) will be marked on Monday 25 January 2021 under the theme ‘Recover and Revitalise Education for the COVID-19 Generation’.