Punjab Sets Unique Record with Enrollment of 1.1 Million Out-of-School Children

Lahore:In a significant development for the education sector in Punjab, a special meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took place to discuss the ongoing and proposed educational projects. During the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed in detail about the progress in the school education sector.
The Chief Minister was informed that more than 11,000 schools in Punjab have successfully completed outsourcing, while an impressive 1.1 million children have been enrolled under the Punjab Education Foundation.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif appreciated the enrollment of 1.1 million children and directed the School Management Councils to ensure the provision of essential facilities within 90 days, with an allocation of 10 billion rupees for the task.
In addition, she instructed that all schools should have the necessary classrooms built within one year, and that repairs and reconstruction of 580 dilapidated schools and 2,770 decrepit school buildings should be completed.
The meeting also set a target to provide spoken English training to 500,000 students in government schools, facilitated by English trainers. Furthermore, it was decided to extend the School Meal Program to other districts and towns, focusing on areas with a higher rate of malnutrition among children.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif also announced the establishment of the “Nawaz Sharif School of Excellence” for both boys and girls in every district, with a target of upgrading 1,750 schools over the next five years. For the next fiscal year, 250 schools are slated for upgrades, and 300 Tech-Ed schools will be established in 10 Tehsils across Punjab.
In the briefing, it was revealed that the outsourced schools had seen substantial infrastructural improvements, including the construction of 195 classrooms, 397 roof repairs, 254,538 square feet of boundary walls, 414 toilets, and 1,543 water tanks.
The “Nawaz Sharif School of Excellence” will feature modern facilities such as IT labs, science labs, libraries, multi-purpose playgrounds, smart boards, and more.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized that there is much work to be done for the children’s education and expressed her commitment to ensuring that every school is equipped with basic necessities, including toilets. She also stated that efforts are underway to install solar systems in schools.