Education only key to development, self-reliance: CM

LAHORE

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that education is the only key to attain the goal of development and self- reliance and getting rid of all problems. 

Talking to a delegation of the PML-N here, he said that trends of extremism could be overcome through promotion of quality education. "Nations investing on education have made rapid progress. Keeping in view the importance of education, the Punjab government has made promotion of education its top priority. Billions of rupees are being spent on the programmes of equipping the new generation with education and the provision of resources for promotion of education is a useful investment for the bright future of the nation. There will be no shortage of resources for the promotion of quality education," he added. 

Shahbaz Sharif said that more than one lakh talented male and female students were getting education in prestigious educational institutions through Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. He said a unique and unprecedented programme of provision of education scholarships has provided opportunities of quality education to intelligent boy and girl students. "Laptops worth billions of rupees have been distributed among lakhs of youths on merit. Mutual brotherhood and inter-provincial contacts are increasing with the participation of male and female students of all units of Pakistan in the education programmes of the Punjab Government," he observed.

 The chief minister said that quality education was being provided to children of backward areas through the Daanish School System. He said that free quality education was being provided to talented children of poorest families in Daanish schools. He said that setting up Daanish schools in backward areas was a glorious example of spending resources on poor people. He said the Punjab government had provided education by setting up modern Daanish schools in less developed areas. 

Shahbaz Sharif said those criticising Daanish schools did not want that the children of poor families should get quality education. "Like children of elite, children of poor families have equal right over quality education. Like other sectors, former rulers of the Punjab during the dictatorial era, had plundered resources in the name of education. The education sector was ruined through spreading darkness of ignorance in the name of Parha Likha Punjab, nepotism and corruption was promoted and merit was violated. Besides looting national resources, loans of billions of rupees were also got written off on political grounds during the dictatorial era," he added. 

The chief minister said the Punjab government had converted graveyards of corruption of former rulers into minarets of development whereas the former rulers, instead of paying attention to the completion of development projects, filled their own pockets. "The nation has conducted strict accountability of those who looted the hard earned money of the poor nation in the name of development projects in the general election of 2013 and local bodies’ elections through its power of vote. A handful opponents of public welfare projects are enemies of development of Pakistan," he added. He vowed that the projects of development and prosperity of the people would continue. He said the Punjab Government was marching forward for promotion of education under “Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab” and the target of the provision of quality education and enrolment of every child of Punjab in school by 2018 has to be achieved at all costs. Quality education is the right of every child of the province and I will not rest content till the provision of the right.  Achievement of targets fixed under “Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab” will bring revolution in the education sector and work on construction and rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings of schools is being carried out on a priority basis. The Punjab government has invested billions of rupees in the education sector during last eight years and funds will also be provided in future in this regard," he added.