May 6, 2005	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 26, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, May 5: A donors’ facilitation desk has been set up at the policy and planning wing of the education ministry to coordinate with international donors, official sources told Dawn. Education Minister Javed Ashraf Qazi announced this in a meeting with the ministry officials on Thursday, the sources said. A Grade 20 officer would oversee the affairs of the desk, which would have a heavy agenda in the coming years, they said.

According to the ministry’s National Plan of Action, massive international funding is needed to achieve the targets set under the Education For All 2000-2015 (EFA) programme.

The plan says that Rs430 billion is required to achieve EFA goals: universalization of primary level education throughout the country and 50 per cent increase in literacy rates of both men and women.

Of this total cost, Rs178 billion is likely to be provided through the country’s own resources and Rs253 billion by international development partners and multilateral agencies.

Hence, the sources said, the desk’s role would be of critical importance in the coming years.

During the meeting, the education minister also asked the joint secretary, policy and planning (PP) wing of the ministry, to regularly submit a monthly report regarding the assistance of international donors.

The minister directed the wing to approach international donors as their assistance was of immense importance for the uplift of basic education in the country, the sources said.

On being informed that 73 posts of different grades were lying vacant in the ministry, hindering its smooth functioning, the minister directed the secretary to immediately adjust the surplus employees of the defunct Pakistan Literacy Cell against the vacant posts.

Another 1,031 teacher cadre posts lying vacant in the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) will be filled during the current year, both through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) and internal promotions.

While reviewing the national curriculum, everybody present in the meeting agreed that controversial contents should be removed from the syllabus.

The minister was also informed that schools in Gilgit and the surrounding areas which were closed last year after sectarian clashes over syllabus controversy had been reopened.