ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: The US Congress would soon pass a financial bill amounting to $200 million for development of health and education sectors in Pakistan.

This was stated by the US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs, Christina Rocca, during her visit to the education ministry, where she met Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi.

Ms Rocca is currently on a four-day visit to Pakistan. The US policy makers are keeping a close watch on Pakistan's education sector reforms.

The Bush administration and USAID would continue to explore new avenues for cooperation between the two countries in the education sector, she said. She also expressed her satisfaction with the progress the education ministry had made to enhance the quality of education being imparted in the country.

She also appreciated the government's efforts in making education accessible to all, particularly in remote areas which remained neglected in the past.

Ms Rocca expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon achieve Education for All targets, as was evident by the measures being taken by the political and administrative bosses of the ministry.

She told the minister that her government would continue its assistance for the education sector of the country. She termed the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the education sector as a pillar of bilateral relations.

Briefing Ms Rocca, the education minister said his emphasis would be on ensuring proper implementation of the policies of his predecessor. He said he would personally monitor all the educational projects and would urge both the international partners and the donor agencies, including USAID, to continue their support for Pakistan's education sector.

He said all the international donors including Unicef, Jaica, Unesco, USAID etc., were satisfied with the spending of grants given to the education ministry for disbursement in different areas including FATA.

He said the government was putting all its effort in improving the standard of basic education and introducing new concepts in the system.

Mr Qazi said the current budgetary allocation for the education sector was a record in the history of the country.

He said no government prior to 1999 had paid attention towards improving education in the country to such an extent. "The credit goes to the present democratic government to assign a priority status to education," he added.

He also briefed Ms Rocca on the steps taken by the government to eliminate child labour, and bringing such children back to school. He said under the Education Sector Reforms, the primary objective of the government was to make education accessible to all.

The minister also highlighted the introduction of Human Rights education in schools and establishment of science laboratories in educational institutions of FATA.