Aseff articulates concern regarding 18th Amendment Bill
By: Sohail Rashid
ISLAMABAD July 21, 2010: Federal Minister for Education, Sardar Aseff Ahamad Ali has expressed his deep concern over the possible consequences of allowing provinces to set their separate curricula as approved in the 18th Amendment by the present regime.
He was addressing the participants of National Seminar on Education Sector Budget, organised by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) and Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE) here on Thursday. He was of the view that separate syllabus would lead to separate mindsets in all provinces.
He further said that lack of resources is main obstacle in progress of education sector. He said that government will get 50 million dollars as aid from Kerry-Lugar Bill which would be helpful in advancement of education sector. He told that the U.S government wants to spend a greater part of Kerry Lugar Bill for the betterment of Pakistani public. “Students must seek technical and vocational education as well with formal education to combat modern day needs” he stressed.
Later, the reasons behind lack of development in education sector were highlighted and their possible solutions were suggested by the participants of the seminar. Additional secretary High schools (Punjab) Mr. Izhar Sheikh, Director Elementary Education, Khyber PakhtunKhwa (KPK), Mrs. Syeda Sarwat Jahan and Provincial Minister for Education Balochistan, Mr. Tahir Mehmood also delivered speeches and answered the concerns and questions of the participants.
Izhar Sheikh said that due to non- salary allocation for teachers, education standard is demising day by day. So, steps should be taken in this respect.
Mrs. Syeda Sarwat said that in KPK, they are taking measures to improve the standard of education in schools. “We are issuing notices and letters to the schools which are producing below 40% result and we have started reward and punishment system to make better our education system,” she concluded.