ISLAMABAD: While launching Prime Minister’s Education Initiative, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assigned the task of ensuring its implementation to Ms. Maryam Nawaz here on Sunday, a day before their departure for the US’s official visit. The prime minister has expressed his displeasure over the non-implementation of Free and Compulsory Education Act 2012. Ms. Maryam Nawaz will have meeting with First Lady of the US Ms. Michelle Obama on Thursday in White House where the two will discuss Michelle’s international initiative for women education and Ms. Maryam has already become her partner in it. Interestingly Prime Minister Nawaz will have meeting with President Obama on the same day in an adjacent Oval Room of the White House when Ms Maryam will be interaction with Ms. Michelle. In the meanwhile Prime Minister Nawaz has said that education is a basic right of every child and educated generation gives rise to a developed nation. He said this at the launching of Prime Minister’s Education Initiative. This initiative includes a comprehensive plan for up-gradation of physical infrastructure, addition of IT and science laboratories, human resource management, teachers training & evaluation, curriculum improvement and biometric attendance system in the public sector schools & colleges across Islamabad. The initiative also includes mapping of school transport system, health & safety of students and student volunteering programmes. Included in the initiative are other provisions like grievance redress system, development of monitoring & evaluation system, and establishment of an Education Authority and Education Advisory Council. The Authority and Council will have renowned experts to provide a framework for implementing the Education Act 2012. The PM has said that our aim is to ensure 100 % enrollment in ICT public sector schools. The prime minister has also desired to introduce the concept of innovation school volunteer programme in public sector schools to facilitate opinion leaders and prominent professionals to interact with students and raise awareness regarding democratic values, civic education, climate change, health & hygiene, harassment at workplace and career counseling. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will inaugurate the first transformed school in a rural area of Islamabad upon his return from USA. The model will be replicated in all public sector ICT schools.
