May 9, 2003	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 8: About 50 per cent of education budget would be allocated for girls schooling at federal as well as provincial levels.

This was stated by Minister for Education Zobaida Jalal while speaking at the launching ceremony of ‘global education review’.

The ‘education review’ was conducted in more than 30 countries across the world including Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Carribean, where the poorest people live and are striving for a world without poverty.

Ms Jalal said public-private partnership could go a long way to open the doors of learning to every child in the country.

She lauded the non-governmental organization’s efforts which had prepared the review and said the success and learning of education work especially on adult education programme could be shared with other organizations.

She invited the NGO to be the member of the committee which is developing a national curriculum for adult education.

Sharing the government’s commitment to get girls education on top of the agenda, Ms Jalal said about 50 per cent budget would be allocated to girls education on federal as well as provincial levels. Other such initiatives by the government will be more successful and have deeper impact if other organizations with strong grass roots presence and diverse programme experience can join hands, she added.

Commenting on the review and its findings, the minister said it was very relevant to our country and suggested that the learning be shared at different levels within the government especially with the Academy of Planning and Management.

Giving an overview of the review, Dr Fouzia Saeed said the study was based on primary research and as such offered a perspective from the people doing grass roots work in a wide range of contexts and countries.

She said there was a need to focus on secondary and higher education stressing that investment in primary education should not take place at the cost of higher education.

Dr Haroona Jatoi, while speaking on the occasion, said the review was very relevant and linked to education issues in the country.

She said the fact that the ceremony was held on government’s premises is a practical demonstration of the spirit of public- private partnership which she hoped would continue and deepened with time.

The ceremony was attended by various members of organization working on education, including ActionAid, Aga Khan Foundation, SPAARC, Save the Children UK, CRI Sahara, PPAF, representatives from ministry of education, curriculum wing and Fatima Jinnah University vice-chancellor, Dr Najma Najam.