CM approves recruitment of 42,798 teachers

Reviews pace of reforms in education system; teachers to be recruited through NTS test

LAHORE

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting and approved policy for the recruitment of 42,798 new schoolteachers.

The meeting reviewed the pace of reforms programme for the improvement of education system under Punjab Schools Reforms Roadmap. The meeting approved a number of important decisions for the promotion of quality education in the province while it was also decided in principle to upgrade teachers of primary schools. The meeting also approved the policy for the recruitment of 42,798 new teachers.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz Sharif said these teachers of primary schools would be recruited in a transparent manner through NTS test. He said that recruitment of new teachers would overcome shortage of teachers in schools whereas recruitment of more than 43,000 teachers was also continuing separately. He said that 36,000 additional classrooms would be constructed in schools till 2018; the Punjab government would construct more than 10,000 additional classrooms in schools during current fiscal year while DFID would build more than 5,000 rooms during this period. Similarly, he said, 5,000 schools would be converted to solar energy.

He said 5,000 schools showing low performance till April 2017 would be run under public-private partnership and the amount of scholarship for girl students from class 6 to 10 of public sector schools of South Punjab districts had been increased to Rs1,000. He further said that right of the children to quality education would be ensured and the targets of reforms programme in education sector would be achieved at any cost. He said that e-learning programme in schools would soon be started which was aimed at provision of education to children with the help of modern technology. He said that teachers were most respected segment of society and they would have to play a key role in providing education to children as measures for promotion of quality education would have to be implemented at any cost.

The chief minister directed that 100 percent enrolment of children in schools till 2018 should be ensured. He said that under Punjab Education Foundation, a target of enrolment of 2.6 million male and female children in schools had been fixed and all-out resources would be provided for equipping the new generations with education. He said there was a need for commitment and hard work for achieving the targets of education. He said children were being imparted modern training for the promotion of quality education. He said that implementation of revolutionary measures in education sector was a collective responsibility. 

Special Representative of British Department for International Development (DFID) Sir Michael Barber while giving a briefing on the pace of reforms programme said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had taken comprehensive measures for the uplift of education sector. He said there had been a substantial increase in the rate of enrolment of male and female children in government schools. 

Provincial Minister for Schools Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed, chief secretary, Punjab Education Foundation Chairman Engineer Qamar-ul-Islam, secretaries of departments concerned, education experts, Ms Judith Herbertson, representatives of roadmap team, DFID representative Ben French and senior officers were present on the occasion.