Minister terms 2024 transformative year for education in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Minister of Education Rana Sikandar Hayat has issued the performance report of his ministry for the year 2024, terming it a transformative year for education in the province.

The minister highlighted the significant reforms and initiatives introduced during the first 10 months of the government's tenure, claiming that their work has outpaced the achievements of the previous government’s entire term.

“2024 was a year of historic educational reforms in Punjab. In just 10 months, we rectified the serious mistakes of the previous political administration and delivered results equivalent to five years of work,” said Rana Sikandar Hayat. He added that the current government's efforts over 10 months can favorably compare to the four-year tenure of their predecessors.

The minister shared that under the new policies, the cost of publishing textbooks was significantly reduced from Rs14 billion during the PTI era to Rs 6 billion, by eliminating unnecessary intermediaries. A strong crackdown on cheating networks, known as the “booti mafia,” was also launched, with security cameras installed in examination centers to ensure transparency during exams. Rana Sikandar Hayat said that technological advancements were a key focus, with the introduction of tech education, AI courses, and Google for Education programs in Pakistan. A collaboration with Google was initiated to offer IT certification courses to 300,000 youth, aiming to equip them with skills relevant to modern demands.

A massive enrollment drive was launched to bring out-of-school children back into the education system. Under the Zewar-e-Taleem programme, Rs2.1 billion in stipends were distributed to female students, significantly boosting girls’ education across the province. The minister also highlighted the launch of the largest scholarship scheme in Pakistan’s history, which now benefits 30,000 students annually from both public and private universities. Adult literacy programs were also prioritised, while the scope of technology education in schools was further expanded.