May 10, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, May 9: Education Minister Zobaida Jalal and US Ambassador Nancy Powell joined teachers of a suburban village school of the federal capital to whitewash classroom walls on Friday.

The three-room Kanwal Community Model School is being run by the National Education Foundation (NEF).

The minister and the ambassador were welcomed by a group of girl students who presented a tableau.

They also sang a popular number of renowned singer Jawad Ahmed, “Dosti”.

On the occasion, Zobaida Jalal announced that similar schools would be opened under the NEF in AJK, Northern Areas and FATA. She said her ministry was considering to elevate Kanwal Community School from primary to middle level. She said a permanent teacher would soon be appointed with the collaboration of Allama Iqbal Open University. She asked the officials of government schools to follow suit and paint their classrooms during the summer vacation.

“By involving the community, I am sure funds for white wash would not be a problem,” she said.

“We are a nation of 140 million people and the government cannot reach every where. With every passing day, the resources are squeezing while problems are increasing,” Ms Jalal said.

Today eight million students were studying in different schools, but five million were still out of schools.

Nancy Powell said the US was proud to be a partner in improving education for all of Pakistan’s children.

“Just as we have worked in this school today, we are also working with the government to enable all Pakistani children to receive quality education,” she added.

The US has established a $100 million five-year education initiative to give Pakistani children the opportunity to reach their full potential and subsequently contribute to national development as productive citizens, she added.

“I can think of no better use for the money and no better way to demonstrate US support for Pakistan,” the ambassador observed.

Ms Powell said she firmly believed that education was the entire community’s responsibility.

“From my own experience as a teacher working with the parents of my students, I have found that parents everywhere, no matter what their place in society, are passionate about giving their children a better education,” she said.

Earlier, Dr Afzal Haq said the NEF provided basic education to disadvantaged communities and addressed issues like quality education, promotion of gender equality, community participation, empowerment and sustainability.