SWABI: The district government here has decided to launch a programme for the encouragement of students of the public sector educational institutions, especially those belonging to the downtrodden families.

Sources said that district nazim Ameer Rehman had apprised the alliance partners the other day about the initiation of the new programme to encourage youngsters to acquire contemporary education.

“It is for the first time here that the district government has launched a scheme for the poor students,” said an official who was part of the meeting in which the progamme was finalised.

Students securing top positions in the upcoming SSC and FA/FSc examinations of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Mardan, would be given cash awards. The sources said that the secondary school certificate (SSC) toppers would be known as the “Guloona Da Swabi” (flowers of Swabi) and that of the FA/FSc “Stori Da Swabi” (stars of Swabi).

The reward money would be given from the Rs87.4 million budget allocated by the district government recently to education sector.

When contacted, the district nazim said that Rs1.12 million would be given to the SSC toppers and Rs1.75 million to the FA/FSc distinction holders. “We are the first district government to initiate this programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and we are proud of it,” Mr Rehman said.

Answering a question, he said that the cash prizes were only for the students of the government schools and colleges and there would be a competition among eight higher secondary schools, nearly 100 high schools and about 12 colleges. “Both girls and boys would be rewarded,” he said.

“By encouraging students we want to create an environment of competition among the students of public sector educational institutions and support the underprivileged families to focus on education of their children,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2016