Education, law and order top priority: Zaeem

LAHORE
Punjab government spokesman Zaeem Qadri has dismissed the statement of Punjab former chief minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi that the Punjab PML-N government is not giving sufficient attention to education and law and order and pointed out that the government is giving top priority to both the sectors.
In a press statement issued here on Monday, Zaeem Qadri said rapid development in the field of education involving setting up of Danish Schools, distribution of laptops among the deserving students, and giving loans to the children from less-privileged segment of the society through Punjab Educational Endowment Fund showed that the government was taking steps to promote education.
He stressed Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has set up Punjab Educational Endowment Fund to provide help and assistance to the needy and poor, but brilliant students of the province and thousands of male and female students are being offered scholarships under this fund. Zaeem Qadri said to modernise the education system, the Punjab government has set up computer labs in 4,286 high schools at a cost of Rs 5 million, while 515 computer laboratories have been set up in middle schools as well. The spokesman said that to streamline the education system, merit-based recruitment of science educators has been ensured, while the Punjab government has also initiated Primary Enrolment Campaign to achieve a 100 per cent literacy rate.
The spokesman said Danish Schools are the practical reflection of a dream with Shahbaz Sharif has visualised bringing the downtrodden segment of society at par with the prosperous segment of society. Punjab government is committed to bringing educational standard of Danish Schools at par with that of Aitcheson College. He said merit-based admission of students have been ensured in educational institutions, through a comprehensive methodology.
Talking about law and order, the spokesman said that the Punjab government has taken a leading role in providing a safe environment for students at schools in view of recent acts of terrorism.
He said maintenance law and order is the foremost duty of the Punjab government. Zaeem Qadri said the Police Department is being strengthened while availability of Quick Response Force has been ensured in the time of any crisis. He said the process of search and surveillance has been initiated. The spokesman said the government has also set up Punjab Forensic Science Agency to provide assistance in scientific-based investigation into terrorism and other heinous crimes, besides provision of prompt justice, detection and arrest of criminals and eradication of crime, and ensuring maintenance of law and order in the province.
He said security around all education institutions has been strengthened to ensure a safe environment for the students and teachers.