After incidents of roof collapses of private schools' buildings injuring students, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has directed the concerned authorities to conduct survey of private schools' buildings in the province and evolve a system of annual inspection of these buildings after mapping of private schools. He was presiding over a high-level meeting which reviewed in detail the progress of 'Parho Punjab Barho Punjab programme' here on Friday.
Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretary School Education and concerned officers were present at the meeting which also decided immediate repair and construction of dilapidated buildings of public sector schools in the province. The Chief Minister said that a sum of Rs 15 billion would be spent in a year for the repair and construction of dilapidated schools' buildings, adding it was responsibility of authorities concerned to ensure quality construction work over schools' buildings. He constituted a provincial steering committee to monitor repair and construction work of schools' buildings while committees were also being established at district level for that purpose.
The CM said that implementation of 'Parho Punjab Barho Punjab programme' was continuing successfully for the promotion of quality education in the province and a target had been fixed under that programme for the enrolment of every child by 2018, while special targets had also been set for raising the standard of education.
He said that spending of funds for the promotion of education was not expenditure but useful investment therefore resources would continue to be provided for the development of education sector but he wanted results. Shahbaz Sharif said that vigorous efforts should be made in the next three years for the achievement of the targets of that programme and a comprehensive project should be formulated after reviewing public-private partnership. He said 'Parho Punjab Barho Punjab programme' should be implemented in accordance with the modern demands.