15 October 2004	Friday	29 Shaban 1425

LAHORE, Oct 14: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has announced fixation of two per cent quota for blind students in higher education institutions.

He was speaking at a function held in connection with the International White Cane Safety Day organized by Aziz Jehan Begum Trust for the Blind (AJBT) here on Thursday.

The chief minister made this announcement on the request of a blind student, Saadia Butt, a student of MA Punjabi at the Government College University. Pervaiz Elahi said the government was focusing the special education sector, and had created a separate department and allocated Rs400 million funds.

Now, he said, each special student studying in public sector special education institutions was being given a Rs200 per month stipend. He said the White Cane Day demanded the creation of awareness among the masses that white cane was a symbol of freedom and self-reliance of blind persons.

Admitting that there was a shortage of special education teachers, he said the government was establishing a special education teachers training institute to train more and more teachers. He said these teachers were also being offered double salaries as compared to the teachers serving the general education department.

He said the government had also asked the special education department to open special education institutions in each tehsil to cater to the needs of special children in rural areas as well.

The chief minister also asked the information secretary to include Ms Saadia Butt as member of the board of governors of the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture.

He announced that the government would bear all expenses of higher education of blind student Saima Saleem, who is currently a student of BSc at the Kinnaird College. He also announced a grant of Rs10 million and two coaches for the AJBT. AJBT Vice-Chairperson Marriam Habib also spoke on the occasion.