29 February 2004	Sunday	08 Muharram 1425

ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Education Minister Zobaida Jalal on Saturday said girls education was an essential prerequisite to make a society more enlightened and responsible.

She was speaking at a function at Islamabad College for Girls, F-6/2, here.

The minister said unfortunately over the years girls education could not get due attention owing to multiple reasons. However, she added, the time has come when we both at individual and government level have to take this issue seriously, otherwise, we would lag far behind among the comity of the nations.

The existing clear difference between male and female literacy rates clearly underlines the fact that girls education needs equal allocation of funds, she said.

"In the present world, both men and women are equally responsible for the development of their countries," she said, adding, "How can we ignore 50 per cent of the total population in the education sector."

Being appreciative of the college, Ms Jalal said it was heartening to note that this unique institution had provided an opportunity to its students to enter its premises in class one and get a postgraduate degree under the able guidance of its faculty. She said the successful students would form a better and more capable intelligentsia and build the character of the future generation.