Maryam decides to introduce 'CM Education Card'

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has taken revolutionary decisions for the promotion of education. It has been decided to introduce “CM Education Card” for school education in Punjab. Students who score more than 80 per cent marks will get ‘CM Eminence/Star Card’.

Maryam chaired a meeting on school education on Tuesday in which it was informed that the number of students increased by 52 per cent and teachers by 89 per cent due to outsourcing of schools. After the Public School Reorganization Program, the number of students has increased by 242,000 to 368,000.

After the first phase of outsourcing in Punjab, the number of teachers increased from 8,037 to 15,114. After outsourcing, the salary of teachers in schools has increased three times.

After the outsourcing of schools, the number of chairs and desks for students has increased from 371,000 to 523,000. It has been decided to establish new and modern schools of uniform type in Punjab. A school of eminence will be established in every tehsil of Punjab.

The chief minister announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art lab Matriculation Tech. She directed taking steps to include technical education as a subject from Class five. A record saving of one billion rupees was recorded in the textbook project of the Text Book Board. The CM gave a deadline of 90 days for the provision of drinking water, furniture and doing whitewash in schools. She gave a target of enrollment of two million children every year. She ordered taking immediate steps to launch a school meal program in Bhakkar, Layyah and other districts.

As many as 30,000 classrooms, 600 elementary schools and 400 high schools will be built across Punjab in phases over a period of five years.

Maryam while appreciating quick action of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab on a complaint against corruption in the Planning & Development Department said, “Corruption is a red line, it cannot be tolerated under any circumstances”.

She was briefed that the ACE arrested P&D Board Assistant Chief Industries Muhammad Ahmed Mufleh-ur-Rehman on charges of taking bribe of lakhs of rupees for getting some schemes included in the Annual Development Program. A case has been registered against the accused. The chief minister said: “Public should report complaints against corruption immediately. Indiscriminate action will be taken against corrupt elements.”