Author Topic: 16pc of girls, 20pc of boys reach matric level  (Read 683 times)

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16pc of girls, 20pc of boys reach matric level
« on: July 14, 2013, 11:22:33 AM »
16pc of girls, 20pc of boys reach matric level
Lahore: July 14 : Only 16 per cent of girls and 20 per cent of boys reach matriculation level and this explains that retention of students enrolled in schools is a much bigger challenge confronting the Punjab government.

This was stated by Punjab school education department deputy secretary Qaiser Rasheed during a presentation on the Annual Development Programme for 2013-14 to newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly for continuation of “Parliamentarians Caucus” at a hotel here on Saturday. He said that 18th constitutional amendment’s clause 25-A called upon the Punjab government to impart compulsory and free education to all children aged 5 to 16.

The official said that 3.2 million children of primary school age were still out of school and added that some 25 million children aged 6 to 16 were out of school across Pakistan.

Mr Rasheed said the budget allocation in Punjab still stood at 1.86 per cent of the GDP with Rs15.5 billion development budget. Explaining key policy objectives, he said the Punjab school education department was trying to ensure cent per cent enrolment and retention. He said the government had provided Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Science Education labs to all 5,000 high schools and added that 1,500 schools upgraded to the high school level this year needed these labs.

He said the department had planned provision of all missing facilities to girls schools in southern Punjab except additional classrooms. He said the government would also reconstruct dangerous buildings and campaign for construction of new schools in housing societies.

Mr Rasheed talked about under-construction and new schools worth Rs719 million and Rs2.46 billion, respectively. He said the Punjab government had so far spent Rs5.006 billion on establishment of seven Daanish schools, where 2,606 students were studying.

The deputy secretary asked parliamentarians to ensure that social sectors development budget is protected by all means and placed at the disposal of the school education department in the beginning of financial year. He said that parliamentarians should identify schemes on an evidence basis and empower school councils to use funds for furniture.

Unicef Education Officer (Gender) Sehr Raza Qizilbash said the Parliamentarians Caucus was aimed at promoting education for girls, as it could help improve girls’ life. She said the caucus idea was to bring everybody together.

She stressed the need for strengthening national and provincial political commitment to improve the scenario of girls education through policy and advocacy.

MPA Aysha Javed said the caucus was formed in 2010 and parliamentarians were imparted training in addition to capacity-building. She said parliamentarians must raise voice in the Punjab Assembly and empower parliamentarians to oversee and monitor departments.Dawn.
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