Caretaker Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Madad Ali Sindhi has acknowledged the significant role played by Pakistan Chamber of Education (PCE) in bridging the gap between the government and the private education sector.
Speaking during a meeting with delegation of PCE led by its President, Haji Ashfaq Ahmed Warraich which called on him here on Tuesday, the minister said that PCE had played a remarkable role in minimizing the number of out of school children.
Acknowledging the positive feedback from the PCE, Madad Ali Sindhi said that these suggestions will be forwarded to the provinces in the next IPEMC.
The minister was briefed about the problem of unscheduled holidays in the provinces which has led to reduction of the academic days of the schools.
He was told that the academic calendar year needed to be revised in such a way that the effects of climate change were addressed. The minister was briefed that due to climate change the weather of different areas was affected differently. For example, the smog hit areas are near the Lahore and Gujranwala districts. Hence, due to fog and smog in these areas, the entire province should not be shut down. Similarly, Madad Ali was told that it was unfair that different provinces had different academic days annually. It was suggested that this needed to be in a uniform manner.
PEC also stressed the need for teacher training and offered their services to the government.
PEC said that through public private partnership, the number of Out of School Children can be reduced and PEC can contribute to this cause. Madad Ali said that these suggestions were positive and the provinces should focus on materialising these.
He said that it was important that policies should be made in such a way that all private institutions should be catered for. The minister said there should not be a single policy for high end and low end private institutions.
