RAWALPINDI, Nov 3: An internationally funded educational reform plan has been launched by the Punjab government.

The international donors are World Bank, Department for International Development (DFID) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

It was announced by (District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar on Saturday, while presiding over a meeting in his office to review the academic progress in government schools. EDO Education Qazi Zahoorul Haq, District Monitoring Officer of schools Saima Younas, representative officer of Department for International Development (DFID) UK, District Officers Education and Deputy District Education Officers of all Tehsils of the district attended the meeting.

DCO directed field officers — working in the education department — to examine the time table while conducting inspections of schools. Instructing that the timetable should tally with the office of the Headmaster of the respective school, so that attendance not only of students but teachers should also be checked.

The DCO informed that the new mechanism of reforms is called ‘rationalisation programme.’ According to the rationalisation programme, smaller schools which lack facilities would be merged with larger schools in the neighbourhood. While students attending evening classes would be merged with the daytime schedule.

It was disclosed that funds amounting to Rs22 million had been provided for provision of missing facilities in schools. More funds were also demanded for further improvement in the schools located in far-flung areas of the district.

EDO Education Qazi Zahurul Haq while briefing the meeting said that there was shortage of teachers in schools located in far-flung areas of the district. He proposed that teachers should be recruited on merit from the concerned areas, so that shortage of teachers might be removed in such schools.

He pointed out that due to non-availability of vehicles, field officers, especially women faced difficulties in monitoring and inspecting schools.

DCO Rawalpindi lauded the overall performance of the education department and directed the officers to ensure attendance of teachers and students in the schools, along with doing their best to improve the standard of education in government schools.