ISLAMABAD: The government is planning on doing a heritage audit and analysis of all the national heritage sites and buildings in the country to assess their condition.

Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, who holds additional charge as heritage minister, told a Chinese delegation on Monday that the government will also be investing in these sites in order to make them tourist attractions.

The minister told the delegation headed by Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing that a national task force on heritage was looking at heritage buildings in order to devise a strategy for them and put them to better use.

“Pakistan has some of the best heritage sites which, if properly developed, will become a source of attraction for tourists from around the world,” Mr Mahmood said.

Pakistan wants to learn from China’s education policies, minister says

The education minister told the delegation that Pakistan is facing a myriad of challenges in the education sector including bringing 2.5 million out of school children into schools, establishing a uniform education system and curriculum, ensuring quality education and working on skill development.

Though education is a devolved subject, the federal government will take a leading role and work on policy framework to improve the education sector, he said.

“We will provide all support to the provinces, we will facilitate and coordinate with them to enable them to introduce changes in the education system,” he added.

Mr Mahmood said Pakistan would like to learn from the experiences of China, which in spite of its large youth population, different languages and multiple ethnicities, introduced a uniform education system.

“We would also like China’s support in guiding us on skill and human development,” the minister said.

Mr Yao told the minister that under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), apart from the economic and development aspect, the Chinese government is working on introducing a social aspect as well under which health, education, skill and human development and poverty alleviation will be promoted.

The ambassador said CPEC will be executed as per the wishes of the government and people of Pakistan.

“But under the social aspect, we will focus more on Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other such areas,” he said.

Mr Yao said China will support education in Pakistan and will share its experiences and will guide the incumbent government in introducing changes in the education system.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2018