Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said students of Daanish schools will prove to be Pakistanis in the real sense and play an active role in the development of the country and service of the masses.
“Setting up of the Daanish schools in backward and far-flung areas is resulting in promotion of education in these areas which will ultimately spread to as every corner of the province. While these Schools are imparting modern knowledge to the children of deprived segments of the society they have also promoted a feeling in them that they have as much right over national resources as the elite, he said, while presiding over 7th meeting of Daanish Schools Authority here on Thursday. MPAs Zaib Jaffar, Rana Muhammad Afzal and Major (retd) Abdul Rehman, Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Secretaries of Schools and Finance Departments, Vice Chairman Daanish Schools Authority, Vice Chairman Punjab Educational Endowment Fund and other members of the authority attended the meeting. Managing Director Daanish Schools System Yousaf Kamal gave a detailed briefing regarding the project of Daanish schools.
Shahbaz Sharif mentioned that six Daanish schools were imparting modern education to the students in Bahawalpur Division while eight more schools would be set up in Attock, Mianwali, Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan during current year. Giving approval in principle to a special quota for the students of other provinces in Daanish schools, the CM said that it would promote national solidarity and brotherhood in accordance with the policy of Punjab government.
The CM said Pakistan was created for the purpose of ensuring equal rights to all citizens, but while a handful of elite enjoyed all privileges during the last 64 years, the majority of people remained deprived of even basic facilities and the poor were shedding their blood and sweat for national development and progress and it was the responsibility of the society to ensure due returns to them for their labour. “The entire credit for bringing the deprived segments of the society into national mainstream goes to Pakistan Muslim League-N which has diverted resources to the marginalised classes and less-developed areas and laid the foundation of a revolution in education sector by starting the project of Daanish schools,” he asserted, adding that the poorest of the poor students were getting modern education in Daanish schools and the scope of this project would be extended to the whole province.
Issuing instructions for giving a final shape to the financial model of Daanish schools as soon as possible, the CM directed that such individuals should also be inducted in the board of governors of these schools which ha an urge to serve the country and equip the new generation with modern education. He said retired teachers, judges, civil servants and the best individuals from various sectors of life should be selected for this purpose but it should be ensured that bureaucracy and political influence should not have any interference in the management of these schools. He also issued instructions for conducting performance audit of the teachers and students of Daanish schools. He said discipline in students was of vital importance and the students should be trained on proper lines for grooming their personality. “Pakistan is a poor country and government has limited resources; therefore, it cannot afford extravagant expenditure. Six Daanish schools have been set up and in the light of the experience in the construction of Daanish schools, measures should be adopted for curtailing cost of construction of new schools. However, no compromise be made on the quality and standard,” he said, while issuing instructions for taking immediate steps for construction of mosques in Daanish schools and directed that administration of the mosques should be completely free of sectarian prejudices and educate the students in the Quran and Hadith. He directed that starting of second shift in Daanish schools should also be considered and recommendations should be submitted to him in this regard in the next meeting. “Financial assistance is being extended to talented students facing economic problems from the PEEF for pursuing their academic activities and lakhs of students of all the four provinces as well as Azad Kashmir are benefiting from this fund. The fund had been set up with a sum of Rs four billions and an amount of Rs 2 billion is being added every year,” he said, adding that establishment of the PEE Fund was a revolutionary step for the uplift of education sector and helping talented students complete their education; therefore it should continue.
He added that quota for the students of other provinces should also be reserved in Daanish schools for promotion of national solidarity and brotherhood and a policy should soon be evolved for this purpose. He mentioned that five percent quota had already been allocated for students of Cholistan in these schools. “Students of other provinces are also included in the programme of the Punjab government of sending position-holders of the province to the prestigious universities of the world and now a quota should be reserved in the Daanish schools for students of other provinces as well,” he said.
He commended the services of Yousaf Kamal and other members of the authority, and said they were engaged in a noble cause.
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