Amraiz Khan
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that If March is that much necessary it should be carried out for the eradication of poverty, unemployment, backwardness besides improving the health and education related facilities, I myself will participate in that March. Positive results of our sincere efforts will soon be surfaced, he added.
This was stated by him while addressing a ceremony held in connection with Salam Teachers’ Day at Awan-e-Iqbal, today. The Chief Minister also distributed commendatory certificates among the teachers who exhibited outstanding performance. He said that role of teachers, in setting approach and thinking of the students, is of great importance. What am I today is because of my teachers and I salute to them.
Usman Buzdar said that he is feeling proud to participate in Salam Teachers’ Day ceremony. He said that he is among the most respectable personalities of the society. Punjab government has taken a number of steps for the welfare of teachers. Our government has declared year 2019 as the Teachers’ year. First time e-transfer policy has been introduced in the history of the province and twenty thousand teachers have been transferred purely on merit in the first phase of this policy. In order to get rid of cramming culture in public schools, it has been decided to impart education in Urdu medium at primary level initially.
The Chief Minister announced to abolish the board exams of 5th grade and to issue Insaf Health Card to the teachers and their family members. He said that under Chief Minister Award Scheme, cash prize of 5 lakh and commendatory certificates will be given to best male and female teachers in every district whereas cash prize will also be given to head mistresses for their best services in the schools. He also announced that a school from every district will be named after a teacher who will extra-ordinary serve in educational sector.
He said that service record of teachers has been compiled online under Human Resource Management System and Paperless Management is being arranged for the teacher. Modules have been prepared for providing training to the teachers at tehsil level, he added. Usman Buzdar said that 100 model schools have been established in ten districts whereas construction of 25 hundred new classrooms at primary level is being carried out in 13 districts. Project has been evolved for setting up 1000 science labs, 1000 computer labs and 400 libraries in the schools. He said that during one year six new general universities and four technical universities are being established in Punjab.
Special funds have been allocated for providing training to the teachers in European countries. He thanked the DFID for its cooperation for the betterment education sector in Punjab. Additional classrooms are being constructed in two thousands schools in Punjab with the cooperation of DFID besides ensuring the provision of missing facilities in these schools. DFID has provided approximately 38 million pounds for improving the condition of schools and education sector in Punjab. The Chief Minister said that PTI government has made a substantial increase in the funds of schools councils. PTI government after the approval of cabinet has given the authority to the school councils on the funds amounting to Rs.40 to 50 lakh whereas it was Rs.3 to 5 lakh only in the past.
Provincial Minister for Schools Murad Raas while addressing the ceremony said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has fully supported us at every occasion for which we thanked him. He said that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s support has been a prime mover of all the initiatives taken by the Punjab government for the betterment of teachers and educational sector. Murad Raas revealed that we faced many challenged regarding e-transfer policy but at the end we succeeded. Everything regarding teachers will be available online within a year.
Shortage of teachers will soon be overcome. He stressed upon the teachers to pay full attention to impart quality education to the children.
Government will solve their problems on priority basis. Secretary Schools Education Iram Bukhari said that every year, Teacher of the Year Award will be given to a teacher of the province with cash prize of one million rupees whereas the picture of the teacher winning Teacher of the Year Award will be displayed in the offices of education minister and secretary education.
