LAHORE, March 16: Punjab Education Minister Mian Imran Masood has disclosed that the World Bank will provide Rs1 billion for the purchase of furniture and other necessities for schools in the province.

He said this while presiding over a high-level meeting here on Sunday.

The minister said that three main sessions of negotiations had been held with the authorities of the World Bank in Islamabad, Lahore and R.Y. Khan.

The minister said that bank’s team had been assured that after the general election in the country elected representatives were fulfilling their responsibilities towards good governance and donor agencies should also trust accordingly.

He said that under his directions the education department had prepared a detailed report on the lack of facilities in schools and then negotiations were started with the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and other international donor agencies. He said that he was also informed the Punjab chief minister in this regard and in near future a ‘breakthrough’ was expected with the World Bank who would provide Rs1 billion to the education department to upgrade and strengthen educational institutions, particularly schools.

The minister said that the School Management Councils were being empowered at local level and they would be given more powers to monitor the utilization of this huge amount on the right direction. He said that on receiving the funds masses would also be taken into confidence and their suggestions would also be welcomed for facilitating schools. He said that keeping in view his past experience he would take strict steps to curb irregularities in the education sector.—APP