BATTAGRAM: The government has initiated a stipend programme for students in the districts with minimal education ratios, particularly in merged areas, to incentivise more children to pursue education.

“To ensure quality education, the government has decided to extend the contracts of school leaders, limiting their responsibilities to monitoring education quality in schools,” MPA Taj Mohammad Khan, chairman of the provincial assembly’s standing committee for education, told Dawn here on Friday.

“Ministerial staff who have held their positions for one and a half years or more will be reposted soon, with the process commencing in three districts,” he added.

He said the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) would be expanded to other districts, with plans to integrate students into the mainstream education system and conduct examinations. “Before expanding ALP, the government will rectify existing flaws and problems in the system.”

The MPA said as the construction of schools was a time-consuming process, and various ancillary issues were also involved, the government had initiated the rented building school programme.

“Under this initiative, schools are established in rented buildings, thereby saving time and facilitating the immediate commencement of educational activities,” the lawmaker said.

MPA Taj Mohammad said that arrangements were being made to allocate funds for schools nearing completion.

“All educational boards have been instructed to install CCTV cameras in examination halls during exams, with a live link to the board concerned. The district administration and the police have been directed to ensure the conduct of fair examinations,” he said and added that unfair means and paper leaks must be eradicated to prevent talented students from being affected by illicit practices.

“To ensure merit and fair conduct of examinations, it has been decided to establish common examination halls for students from public and private institutions,” he said.

He said the education department had been directed to revise community schoolteachers’ salaries to align them with the minimum wage policy.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2025