Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi officially launched the special education admission campaign and initiated the distribution of assistive devices for special children at a local hotel on Monday.
In his address, Chief Minister Naqvi expressed gratitude towards all those involved in serving special children, emphasizing that it was both a religious and worldly obligation to care for them. He pledged unwavering commitment to the Department of Special Education, assuring prompt approval of all special education projects. Highlighting the expansion of special centers in areas like Johar Town, the chief minister reaffirmed that endeavors for special children would be undertaken as acts of duty and devotion. Reflecting on his visit to the Government Pilot School on Wahdat Road, he expressed personal dismay at the situation. The school, housing 1,650 students, had only 60 appointed teachers, with 35 on Election Commission duty and the rest on leave. A mere 10 to 15 teachers were left to educate the vast student population, leading to a concerning decline in quality. Naqvi asserted that the responsibility for rectifying these conditions lies with the administration, not the children. He called attention to the collective responsibility of the Education department, its secretary, and minister in ensuring quality education and improving school conditions. Notable figures like Akhtar Rasool, Qari Sadaqat Ali, Zaheer, Bilal, and Naveed Anjum had all attended the Pilot School on Wahdat Road, which, Chief Minister Naqvi lamented, had been grievously neglected. Condemning the water quality, Chief Minister Naqvi stated that children were being subjected to harm in the name of drinking water. He uncovered a distressing revelation: students were facing an impending exam on Islamic Studies without having received any prior education. Books and notebooks lay untouched, as there was no one to teach. Students reported that when teachers did attend class, they were often preoccupied with their mobile phones or dozing off. Mohsin Naqvi addressed the medias role in the state of the Pilot School on Wahdat Road, urging them to amplify such crucial issues. He underscored that in seven years, not a single teacher had been appointed for 11th and 12th classes, a testament to the dire condition of the entire education department. With over half a million employees in the education sector, Naqvi questioned whether schools unable to function adequately should remain open. Acknowledging the need for proactive efforts, he regretfully noted that it took eight months to uncover the dire state of this school. He concluded the event by presenting wheelchairs, hearing aids, and white canes to special children.
