RAWALPINDI, Sept 9: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Illahi on Tuesday said an amount of Rs18 billion will be provided in the next three years for promotion of education in the province.

He said a comprehensive policy was being implemented for providing standard education in both private and public sector educational institutions.

He expressed these views while speaking at the annual prize distribution ceremony of a private school.

Provincial minister for local governments and law Mohammad Basharat Raja, provincial parliamentary secretary Raja Rashid Hafeez, political secretary to the chief minister Rahat Masood Quddusi, district Nazim Tariq Kiani, tehsil Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz, DCO Hamid Ali Khan and other officials were also present.

The chief minister said the government’s policy was to encourage private educational institutions and solve their problems on a priority basis. “It is for this reason that the government has provided Rs1 billion for the education foundation which would provide all possible assistance to private schools,” he added.

He lauded the role of private institutions in giving boost to government efforts for promotion of education. He recalled that the nationalization of private schools in the ‘70s had greatly damaged education sector, adding the government alone could not provide educational facilities everywhere.

He said apart from encouraging the private sector, the government had also focused its attention on improving government schools and colleges.

He said steps were being taken to make education up to matriculation free, replace mat system with furniture, restore the lost honour of teachers in society, stop dropout in schools, provide free textbooks for encouraging enrolment and cash prizes for teachers with good performance. An amount of Rs6 billion would be spared for this purpose every year, he said.

The chief minister stressed on teachers to play their role in inspiring leadership qualities and develop good character and self-confidence amongst students.

He said apart from teaching of languages, the educational institutions should also provide opportunities for research and improve teaching to match international standards.

Mr Pervez Illahi distributed awards amongst teachers and students for their good performance. He also announced Rs0.2 million prize for the teachers and eight computers for the school computer laboratory.

He also promised that all hurdles would be removed in the registration process of private schools.

He said he had issued directives to the local authorities to solve building problem of the education board.