PESHAWAR, July 22: NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq, expressing dissatisfaction over educational standard in the province, has asked the teachers community to make bold efforts to implement the reformist policies of the MMA government a success.
He was talking to a 25-member joint delegation of school teachers comprising representatives of Tanzeem-i-Ulema Asatiza and Wahdat-i-Asatiza which called on him at his Civil Secretariat office here on Wednesday.
The delegation, led by Maulana Mohammad Roshan, apprised the minister of the problems and demands of the ulema teachers, including theology, Arabic and Qari teachers.
Mr Haq, assuring of his sympathetic consideration of their grievances, acknowledged that the MMA government in the NWFP came into existence as a result of the unity of the ulema and the success of the MMA policies also depended on the overwhelming backing of Mehrab-o-Mimber along with peoples support.
Hence, he said, ulema teachers would be duly encouraged to promote educational and religious enlightenment in the province. He hoped that the teachers community would pay equal attention to education and character building of the new generation while Zuhr congregation prayers would be arranged at schools or adjacent mosques which, he added, would also inculcate the spirit of discipline and cleanliness among the students.
He said steps taken by the MMA government for the cause of education were, in fact, a model for the entire country which was being followed by other provinces too.
The senior minister said declaring free education till matric, arranging free text-books for all students till primary level and then till middle level for all girl students, establishment of women university, girls medical college and upgradation of schools and colleges all over the province on the basis of needs would go a long way in promoting result-oriented education yielding positive impacts on the national progress and prosperity.
The delegation thanked the senior minister for showing his keen interest in resoling their problems.
They eulogized the steps of provincial government for the cause of education, reformation of society and enforcement of Shariat and assured all-out support in this regard.-PPI