US Ambassador, Nancy Powell said on Wednesday that US administration appreciates the pace and progress Pakistan has made for uplift of education in country.
The Bush Administration and USAID would continue to explore new avenues in the field of educational co-operation between the two countries, Nancy Powell told Minister for Education, Zobaida Jalal in a meeting here.
The envoy lauded the efforts of the ministry of education in making education accessible to all particularly people in the far-flung areas, which were neglected in the past.
The US Ambassador vowed to further augment the support and assistance of the US government to Pakistan in the educational sector
She said the existing co-operation between the US and Pakistan would further be strengthened, as the US Congress had already lauded the efforts the country had put in uplifting the quality of the basic education.
The US envoy also agreed to receive 5000 more schoolteachers from Pakistan for training in Maths, Science and English.
Presently 25 teachers were on a four-month training in US and the rest would follow them in the next three years.
Zobaida Jalal briefed the envoy about the steps being taken by the government to enhance the literacy rate in the country.
The Minister told the Ambassador that the government has increased the age limit from 28 to 35 years, with 5 years more age relaxation, for female candidates applying for teaching posts.
Zobaida Jalal further told the ambassador that under the present Education Sector Reforms (ESR), the ministry would emphasise on early childhood education, as well as on the girls education, adding that each district would also have a teachers training academy to impart a professional training to the teachers, as is the case with all other professional services.
The minister also briefed the ambassador about the active participation of the private sector in the education field. Zobaida Jalal said that the economic policies of the present government are investors' friendly, as many leading foreign multinational companies have offered their assistance to the education ministry in creating awareness among the masses through their products.
The minister maintained that the combined budget allocated to the education sector amounts to 2.5 percent of the GDP, whereas the ideal allocation should be of at least 4 percent.
Both discussed the $ 10 million grant-in-aid to Pakistan in the education sector.
Nancy Powell expressed her satisfaction over the development plans executed through the said grant throughout the country and vowed to further enhance the grant money for the country's basic education uplift.
The ambassador also assured the minister that Pakistani students seeking admission in the United States for higher studies would be welcomed.