Moalims

 A four-member implementation support mission of the World Bank, headed by senior education specialist Scherezad Latif on Wednesday, visited the head office of the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) and held detailed meetings with Chairman Engineer Qamarul Islam Raja and Managing Director Doctor Aneela Salman about potential sub-reforms areas of the third phase of Punjab Education Sector Programme.
Different prospects of education-promotion in the impecunious strata, in partnership with the private sector, were discussed. The meeting expressed the satisfaction that the foundation is doing a wonderful job in the Education sector in Punjab. In his briefing, Qamarul Islam said achieving the goal of 100 percent enrolment by 2018 is the priority agenda of the Punjab government.
"The Education sector will be given due importance and ample funds will be provided in the next budget," he added. He said, "To efficiently serve the school partners, the foundation has introduced different reforms including putting schools on GIS mapping and advanced online payment system for the partners. The foundation is the best economic model with Rs 511 per student monthly cost, which includes fee and textbooks. Similarly, collaboration with the foundation has also strengthened the private schools in a number of ways."
Foundation Director Doctor Aneela Salman said on the occasion, "For this purpose, pilot project of schools improvement programe is launched in 21 selected districts to meet various educational needs of the partner schools. Under this programme, 38 subject specialists are attached with the 110 partner schools who work for overall improvement of the schools. The new school programme is helping to spread free educational facilities in remote areas where boys and girls can now easily access the foundation-sponsored schools which are near to their homes."
She further said, "Introduction of skills based education will empower the students to explore economic opportunities for earning their livelihood. This will also provide trained human resource to the trade and industry sectors." Deputy Managing Director Salman Anwar Malik also attended the meeting.