PESHAWAR July 2: Twenty-five thousand students of first to intermediate classes would receive education at a time in the proposed education complex being set up to offer them equal facilities and environment, provincial education minister Fazal Ali said while talking in Guest Hour Program of Peshawar press club here Saturday. He said its construction cost would run in billions but initially work had been started on its design and lay out plan after which funds would be released for erection of its structure. The complex, he said, would facilitate students of Peshawar capital city.

The minister said that education was the first priority of NWFP government and maximum funds had been allotted for betterment and improvement of standard of education in the province.

“While commending education policy of the government, the World Bank had assured it of release of Structure Adjustment Credit-IV for education sector,” he added.

About poor metric results of government-run schools, Mr Ali said those responsible would be punished. He said the cabinet had discussed suggestions to improve quality of education and one of them was to handover public schools to private sector under government monitoring,” he added.

Cabinet had discussed some other options to recommend punishment for the teachers who showed poor performances during the recent exams, he said adding, “no teacher would be spared if he is found responsible”.

He said in higher education sector 20 colleges were established in 2002-03 wherein 14 were reserved for girls. Similarly 17 colleges were constructed during 2004-05 of which 10 were for boys and 7 for girls. He said the provincial government planned to establish 8 colleges in the province during current year.

He urged parents to help government to improve standard of educations. “Government constituted more than 300 Parent Teachers Associations for increasing coordination between parents and teachers for improvement of education” he added.

The government had started collecting data of children from every home and 30 millions rupees had been release for the purpose, the minister said. “After collecting the data we would be able to plan our education policy for primary students because the data will show the actual figure of school-going children and those who are not attending schools” he added. The minister asked the federal government to increase budget for education. “The government of NWFP has allocated 20 per cent of the budget for education and the ratio would be gradually increased,” he added.—PPI