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Business Recorder
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
CM to introduce school van/bus service, ‘On-Wheel Montessori School'
LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif presided over a special meeting regarding School Education Department in which outsourced schools, School Meal Programme and other projects were reviewed. In the meeting, it was decided to give 'School of the Month' award for the first time on the basis of discipline, classroom, lab and quality of education and 'Teacher of the Month' award for best performance. The Chief Minister directed to take steps with regard to launching 'On-Wheel Montessori School' project. The meeting also decided to introduce school van/bus service in government schools for the first time across Punjab. The CM sought a comprehensive plan for the first regular school bus service. Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat gave a detailed briefing to the participants regarding the School Education Department. It was informed in the briefing that excellent results are being achieved in outsourcing schools in Punjab. Student enrolment has increased by 99 percent and the number of teachers by 114 percent. Avenues of decent employment opportunities for more than 60,000 have opened for the educated youth. It was also informed in the meeting that the Punjab School Education Department has set a record for the world's largest successful public-private partnership. Outsourcing government schools has increased enrolment by 1.3 million in just 16 months. Another 10,500 schools will be outsourced in a year. It was further informed in the briefing that 40,000 applications were received for outsourcing 5,700 government schools in the first phase. The target of improving 80 percent infrastructure in outsourced schools has been achieved. After outsourcing government schools, the number of students increased by 453,000 in a few months. The number of teachers in outsourced schools increased from 8,000 to 17,196. 413 new classrooms, renovation of 5,018 classrooms, and roof repairs of 2,887 rooms were completed in outsourced schools. 254538 square meters of boundary walls were also built in outsourced government schools. More than 50 outsourced schools were shifted to solar energy instead of conventional electricity. About 1643 water tanks, 5830 water coolers and 9303 new blackboards were installed in outsourced schools. It was further informed in the briefing that children will get midday meal under self-help basis in various outsourced schools including Faisalabad. About 70977 furniture sets have been provided for students in outsourced schools. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif started successful pilot project of Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF), Education Tech Schools. She directed to launch Education Tech Schools in villages as well. The pilot project for English conversation is on going successfully. Under the programme, 3 lakh children will gain proficiency in English conversation under IELTS Standard-4 in 6 months. 10,000 classrooms have been prepared for Early Childhood Education in every district of Punjab. The Chief Minister directed to increase the number of children in the Nawaz Sharif Center of Excellence from 240 to 1,500. The meeting agreed to start School Meal Program in the districts of Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Lodhran, Bhakkar, Mianwali and Bahawalnagar. On this occasion, the proposal to provide energy bars, biscuits and other items to children besides milk was reviewed. The meeting set a target of constructing classrooms in government schools across Punjab by the end of this year. More than 400 toilet blocks will be completed in girls' schools. Google training for children and teachers is successfully underway. The Chief Minister directed to build 6,000 science, technology, engineering, mathematics and other labs across Punjab. She expressed satisfaction over rationalization in understaffed and overstaffed schools. She underscored that imparting quality teacher training is essential for ensuring the quality of education. The entrances to schools should be improved on a uniform pattern across Punjab. She vowed that we intend to improve the quality of government schools much better than good private schools in Punjab. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Province-wide govt school transport promised
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced plans to launch a van service for government schools and an 'on-wheel Montessori schools' project across the province. Presiding over a meeting of the school education department on Wednesday, the chief minister directed the officials concerned to prepare a comprehensive plan for the province's first regular school transport service aimed at facilitating access to education for children in remote areas. It was decided that school and teacher of the month awards would be introduced, based on discipline, classroom performance, laboratory standards and the overall quality of education. Giving a briefing on departmental initiatives, Punjab School Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said a 99 per cent increase in student enrolment and 114% in teaching staff had been achieved through the school outsourcing model. He said over 60,000 employment opportunities had been created for educated youth as part of the initiative. The minister said Punjab now holds the record for the largest public-private partnership in education globally, with 1.3 million additional students enrolled through outsourcing within 16 months. Outsourcing of another 10,500 schools is planned in the next year. The first phase saw 40,000 applications for 5,700 government schools. He said significant infrastructure improvements had been made in outsourced schools, including the construction of 413 classrooms, renovation of over 5,000 and repair of 2,887 roofs. Over 254,000 square metres of boundary walls have been constructed and more than 50 schools converted to solar energy. Facilities such as 1,643 water tanks and 5,830 coolers, and 9,303 new blackboards have also been provided. The participants of the meeting were informed that in select districts, including Faisalabad, children in outsourced schools were receiving mid-day meals under a self-help model. Additionally, 70,977 furniture sets have been delivered to improve the classrooms. CM Maryam Nawaz also launched the Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF) Tech Schools as a pilot project and issued directives that similar institutions be set up in rural areas. Am English Conversation Programme, aligned with IELTS Standard-4, is under way to benefit 300,000 students within six months. So far, 10,000 classrooms for early childhood education have been prepared across Punjab. The chief minister also ordered expansion of the Nawaz Sharif Centre of Excellence, increasing its intake from 240 to 1,500 students. The School Meal Programme is set to begin in Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Lodhran, Bhakkar, Mianwali and Bahawalnagar, with proposals to include energy bars, milk, biscuits and other nutritious items under review. The meeting approved a target to construct additional classrooms by the end of the year and complete over 400 toilet blocks in girls' schools. Other initiatives include ongoing Google training for students and teachers, plans to build 6,000 STEM and science labs, and 'rationalisation' of school staffing. CM Maryam Nawaz emphasised the need for quality teacher training and issued instructions that school entrances across Punjab be standardised. She said, "We aim to make our government schools better than even the best private institutions in Punjab."
