LAHORE ( HAFEEZ REPORT )
Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation and Finance Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has commended the vision of Shahbaz Sharif for launching of third phase of free distribution scheme of laptops among one lakh students purely on merit. He told that now metric students scoring 78 percent and above marks will also be benefitted from this scheme. He said that Rs. 274 billion will be spent on education sector during the current fiscal year which is 26.25 percent of the total budget of the province.
He expressed these views at the distribution ceremony of laptops at Home Economics College Gulberg. The Minister distributed laptops among 279 students of the college. A contingent of Punjab police presented guard of honour to the laptop winning students, whereas police band was also present. Secretary Higher Education Muhammad Abdullah Sumbal, Principal Dr. Suriya Kalsoom also addressed on the occasion. Director Colleges, college staff, GC University Vice Chancellor and principals of the city colleges were also present.
Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that Punjab government distributed solar lamps among the 2 lakh students during last tenure with a cost of Rs. 2.5 billion under Ujala Programme so that load shedding could not disrupt their study. He said that during current fiscal year laptops and solar lamps are being distributed among the students on merit under a transparent system. Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that improvement of higher education is the priority of government and Rs.14.5 billion has been provided for developmental work of the higher education. He said that Rs.3.42 billion has been provided for the establishment of new colleges whereas Rs.1.36 billion are being spent on the provision of missing facilities in colleges.
Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that financial grant is being provided for up-gradation of higher education especially to the institutions of women ,whereas, new women universities are also being established in Bahawalpur, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad, whereas three new women universities at Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal and Okara will be established during current fiscal year, for enhancing ratio of higher education among women. He said that 101 new colleges were constructed while missing facilities were provided to 96 colleges during the last five years. He said that IT labs had been set up in more than 5000 high schools and 515 middle schools during last five years. He said that scholarships of 12 billion rupees are being provided to more than 50 thousand students within the country and abroad from Endowment fund.He said that terrorism and unemployment can be wiped out through promotion of education and provision of jobs to the youth.