Lahore:Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially launched the Public Schools Reorganization Program (PSRP), projected to save 40 billion rupees and create 70,000 job opportunities for educated youth.
The CM also announced to build kindergarten schools in other districts after Lahore.
During the ceremony held here on Wednesday, the CM distributed licenses for the program to various individuals and organizations, including three sisters from Dera Ghazi Khan, Akhuwat and Muslim Hands.
The CM condemned former PTI ministers for a billion-rupee corruption scandal related to reducing textbook paper sizes and called for a NAB investigation. She also criticized the previous Punjab government for its corruption and nepotism.
The CM assured that the outsourcing of schools has been executed with complete merit. She noted that English-speaking visiting faculty may be employed, and the Punjab government will oversee the curriculum and monitoring of these schools. The program will upgrade schools from cla
sses five to eight and introduce thematic programs to enhance student abilities. Sports talents in government schools will be nurtured, and transportation will be provided to girls’ institutions, she added.
The program is described as a sacred duty rather than a business proposal. CM Maryam Nawaz emphasized that the quality of education is crucial, and despite limited facilities, government school students are excelling. She expressed confidence that with private-school-like facilities, these students would achieve even greater success.
CM Maryam Nawaz stated that if children receive facilities comparable to those in private schools, they will be able to compete effectively. She assured that innovative outsourced schools will receive additional funding if they exceed expectations. Emphasizing her commitment to education, she highlighted that 14,000 out of 49,000 schools will be managed through public-private partnerships, with 5,800 schools outsourced in the first phase. The program will be monitored direct
ly by the government.
The CM said ‘For the first time in the history of Pakistan, we are launching the scholarship program worth 25 billion rupees.’ The initiative covered full tuition for students admitted on merit to public or private universities. ‘If a child gets admission in a public or private university on merit but cannot pay the fee then we will pay the fee. Now there will be no child who cannot continue his education due to non-payment of fee’ she said. The Youths will be able to study with scholarships in FAST, NUST, LUMS, COMSATS and other famous public and private universities. A child from a poor family cannot afford to study in LUMS, but if he gets admission, his full fee will be paid by the Punjab government, she announced. The registration process for the scholarships program will start soon.
The CM said that the Punjab government is launching the laptop scheme from November. Students coming on merit will get laptops. Laptop scheme is a project of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.
Punjab Ed
ucation Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, while speaking, explained the aims and objectives of the Public Schools Reorganization Program.
MD Punjab Education Foundation Shahid Fareed also addressed the event.
Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Zahid Bokhari, Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, Special Assistants Rashid Nasrullah, Zeeshan Malik, Parliamentary Secretary Nausheen Adnan, Assembly Members, Chief Secretary, Secretary Education, MD Punjab Education Foundation and other relevant officials were also present.