ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday announced a reforms initiative for all 422 educational institutions in Islamabad. He said the schools will be provided with the best facilities and that the government is committed to ensuring that every child receives a quality education.

He made the announcement at the inauguration of the first transformed school in the federal capital’s rural outskirts.

Mr Sharif also announced that 200 buses would be provided to public sector schools. At the request of students and teachers during the ceremony, he also announced the uplifting of the Pangran Higher Secondary School Chak Shahzad to model degree college.

Initiative will introduce teacher training, new criteria for recruitment, improved curriculum, provision of transport

Under the reforms initiative, schools will be uplifted in two phases. First, the infrastructure of 21 out of 422 institutions will be upgraded to include IT and science laboratories, and their management and human resources will also be improved.

In the second stage, the remaining schools will be provided with their required facilities.

Pangran girls schools – once one of the most neglected schools in Islamabad’s outskirts – caught the attention of the federal government a few months ago, at which point Maryam Nawaz and MNA Marriyum Aurangzeb and Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry prepared a reforms programme for Islamabad’s education sector.

Mr Sharif also announced that public sector schools will begin Montessori classes, and added that the recruitment of teachers will be handled in a transparent manner.

He said teachers’ promotions will be linked to their performance rather than the length of their service.

“Special focus will also be on teachers’ training and modern curriculum that meets the demands of the day,” he said.

He added that a computerised system will monitor educational institutions and biometric attendance will be introduced. He said new initiatives would allow parents to contact institutions through email and SMS.

“The Pangran School now has all the required facilities and this model will be replicated in all public sector schools in Islamabad,” an official from the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) said.

He said that the provision of health and safety programmes is also a part of the reforms package.

Ms Aurangzeb told Dawn that the criteria for the appointment of teachers have been changed under the new package.

“Now, only subject specialists with masters degrees will be appointed through FPSC in grade 16,” she said, and added that under the reforms, 21 schools will be transformed to model schools with state of the art facilities by January 15.

“Work is under process in 21 schools. Then, we will move towards the remaining 401 schools and PC-1 for all these schools has already been prepared,” she said. She said that under new appointment rules the FDE is going to appoint 2,300 new teachers.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony Dr Chaudhry said the Pangran model school would be replicated at all of Islamabad’s educational institutions.

The ceremony was also attended by Ms Nawaz, Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar and Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2015