Discusses issues on South Punjab uplift with Shah Mahmood Qureshi
Amraiz Khan
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday reiterated his government’s resolve to provide equitable access to four million children to best educational opportunities.
“Up-gradation of more than 27,000 schools will result in enhancing enrolment ratio, which include 10,000 schools of south Punjab.”
Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar was chairing a meeting held to review education sector reforms.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Education Minister Murad Raas, secretaries of the Information and School Education Departments and others.
Addressing the meeting, the CM said that more than 20,000 primary schools will be upgraded to the elementary level in the first phase.
6,653 elementary schools will be given the status of high schools in the next phase, he said. Similarly, high schools will be upgraded as higher secondary schools, he continued.
The CM stressed that schools will be upgraded purely on merit, without caring for any political recommendations or attachment.
He disclosed that second shift elementary classes are also planned in primary schools while second shift elementary classes will also be started in elementary schools.
Besides this, the CM added that 6653 computer and science labs will also be established in upgraded schools.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on CM Usman Buzdar and discussed various issues.
The CM informed the Foreign Minister about the matters pertaining to the south Punjab secretariat and steps taken in this regard.
He reiterated that south Punjab will witness record development in the tenure of the PTI government and pointed out that the share of south Punjab in schools’ upgradation is 38 percent.
Meanwhile, the people have given a thumping majority to the PTI in south Punjab while the defeated elements are spreading the propaganda of scrapping the south Punjab secretariat.
The PTI will remove deprivations of all the backward areas including south Punjab, he added and vowed that PTI will be credited for carving out south Punjab province.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the immediate action of CM over the issue of the south Punjab secretariat is commendable as this has eliminated propaganda and rumours.
The era of ameliorating a lot of the common man in Multan and other south Punjab areas has started and no one will be allowed to spread rumours about south Punjab, he said.
Zain Qureshi MNA announced to side with the chief minister for ensuring development and prosperity.
Provincial Minister Dr Akhtar Malik thanked the CM for making efforts for the development of south Punjab, especially Multan. Others were also present on this occasion.
Meanwhile, Provincial Ministers – Syed Sumsam Ali Bukhari, Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak and Dr Muhammad Akhtar Malik met with Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office and discussed various matters.
The ministers also thanked the CM for amicably resolving the south Punjab secretariat issue.
