LAHORE, March 31: The Punjab education department is preparing a policy to recruit teachers on permanent basis against all vacant seats in the province.

This was stated by Punjab education minister Mian Imran Masood while talking to reporters after inaugurating the mobile learning centre at Special Education and Training Centre (SETC) on Monday.

Answering a question about the implementation of Supreme Court decision to treat English teachers as regular secondary school teachers (SSTs), the minister said that the department would comply with the decision after studying it thoroughly.

The minister said the education department had communicated all heads of schools that no student from Class-I to X should be charged tuition fee from the new academic session starting from April 1 (today). However, he said, all other funds would be charged as per old practice.

Answering another question about regulating private schools and colleges, he said the education department would formulate a policy to end disparity between public and private sector institutions regarding curricula and fee structure.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the minister stressed that it was moral and religious responsibility of the society to help special children become useful citizens.

He said the education department was also working to activate its special education wing to empower special and disabled children.

He said the government would also support those NGOs and individuals who would work for education and training of special children.

Earlier, SETC project director Prof Dr Khalida Tareen said the centre had been educating and training special children for the last 22 years. Currently, she said, some 116 special children were getting education at the centre.