Election candidates agree to demand for more schools, quality education

LAHORE: A multi-party convention attended by several contesting candidates from different political parties to discuss the state of education in Lahore district was held ahead of general elections here on Friday.

All participants also agreed to commit to a charter of demands based on the demands of parents, teachers and community members in Lahore to have more schools and quality of education improved in their respective constituencies in the coming months.

The demands included upgrade of schools from present status to the next, construction of science and computer labs for modern and quality instruction to students, provision of labs and equipment to schools to help students learn the latest techniques in biology, chemistry and physics. They demanded construction of more government schools at every level and improvement in their quality so parents could provide their children with affordable, quality education, and appointment of teachers for science and computer education, and establishment of libraries.

Speaking on the session, Dr Musadik Malik promised to introduce broad-based learning to equip children with knowledge and tools of all disciplines at the school level. He also said PM-N would now focus improvement in quality as during the past 5 years, its focus remained on access to school for out-of-school children in Punjab. Dr Nausheen Hamid of PTI said her party would prioritise science education, train science teachers and upgrade science curriculum. She talked about the latest PTI manifesto.

Most of the candidates spoke of increasing budget for education and strict regulation and monitoring of both private and public schools. A Pak Sarzameen Party’s representative promised to provide free education from grade 1 till matriculation.

According to Pakistan District Education Rankings 2017, released by an NGO, Lahore ranks 32nd nationally and 19th provincially on the education score with the learning score as low as 53.93. Based on the learning assessment conducted by Punjab Examination Commission, Lahore ranks the lowest in learning outcomes in subjects of English, math and science. Moreover, out of 1,202 total public schools in the district, there are only 234 middle schools against 610 primary schools that make up half of all public schools in Lahore. A comparison of private and public schools also shows more private schools at every level, which means parents have to pay more to private schools for their children’s education.

Lecture: The Department of Medical Education of King Edward Medical University arranged a lecture by a foreign speaker, Prof Sarwat Hussain Rizvi. According to a press release issued here on Friday, Professor Sarwat, who graduated in 1969 from King Edward Medical College, Lahore, discussed the quality of healthcare in Pakistan. He said he along with his colleagues from the USA would extend wholehearted support to KEMU.

Medical Education Director Prof Ayesha Shaukat also arranged a three-day training workshop on” Establishing Interventional Radiology Services in King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore.” Vice-Chancellor King Prof Khalid Masud Gondal, addressing the audiences, said the doctors in the Department of Radiology would be trained by the alumni of King Edward Medical University from abroad. Pro-VC Prof Aamer Zaman Khan, Mayo Hospital CEO Prof Asad Aslam Khan, Registrar Prof Irshad Husain Qureshi, Professor of Radiology Ghulam Rasool, Associate Professor Dr Khawaja Khursheed Ahmed and Mayo Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir Khalil were also present.