Speakers at a function held to mark the International Literacy Day here Sunday underlined the need for giving top priority to education to put the country on track to peace and prosperity.
The function was held at the Government Primary School (for boy) Chughalpura which was participated besides others by member provincial assembly Ishtiaq Urmer, officials of the Elementary and Secondary Education (E&SE) department and representative national and international non-governmental organizations.
Addressing the gathering, Ishtiaq Urmer said poverty can only be alleviated from the society by education. “If a child is properly educated he can change the future of the nation,” he said and added that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government was committed to introduce the curriculum in government schools which is taught in standard English-medium schools. We have examples of Japan and Germany which were devastated in World War-II, but they re-emerged as strong nations owing, in the main, to education, he said.
E&SE Additional Secretary Qaisar Alam said education is the right of every child which has been guaranteed in the Constitution. He pointed out that literacy rate, especially female education rate, is very less in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and everyone has to play his role to bring the out-of-school children to the educational institutes. He said that a province-wide enrollment drive would be started in Peshawar on Tuesday to achieve the target of zero out-of-school child.
He said that establishment of an independent monitoring unit is also on the cards to keep a close eye on affairs relating to schools. “Its high time to wake up of the slumber and make serious endeavors to educate our each and every child,” he said.
Chief Planning Officer of the E&SE department, Rafiq Khattak, shed light on the history of International Literacy Day. He went on add that bio-metric system has been introduced in the E&SE department and even secretary, additional secretary and other higher officials are required to pass through this electronic system of attendance in their offices.”This (electronic attendance system) would soon be introduced in the schools to put a leash on furloughs,” he said. At the same time, he said, teachers showing good performance would also be rewarded. Earlier, students of various schools presented tableaus, sung national songs and delivered speeches to highlight the importance of education. A walk was also held in the end of the function.
Source: The Frontier Post
