Education is the basic right of every child and key to socio-economic development of a country. Since it is State’s responsibility to provide equal educational opportunities to its people, therefore, in order to encourage and promote education, the Punjab government is taking a number of revolutionary steps which are unprecedented in the history of the country. The untiring efforts by the government have resulted in remarkable increase in its allocation for education ie Rs 382.9 billion in budget 2019-20.
Keeping in view the fact that future of millions of students is directly linked with the governmental strategy and policies, the government has unveiled the new education policy entitled “The New Deal 2018-23” which will help eliminate segregated system of education. Now there would be no segregation between the students of elite private schools, small and medium-scale private institutions and the government schools. The government has also launched “Insaf Afternoon Schools” programme to provide education to the out-of-school children, while reviving Urdu as medium of instructions, with English as subject, up to primary level education in the province.
The announcement by the government to establish six new universities in Punjab including North Punjab University at Chakwal, University of Mianwali, Kohsar University of Murree and Thal University at Bhakar, Rawalpindi University and Baba Gurunanak University in Nankana Sahib is also commendable.
Besides, the decision by the government to set up a curriculum authority to implement a uniform education system in the province also deserves praise. Under this new system, five subjects will be compulsory up to matriculation and all government and private educational institutions will conduct examination of only these five subjects. In order to improve the education standard, the government has allocated Rs 273b and also ordered formation of private school councils across the province.
SYED ALI QASIM
Lahore
