LAHORE: The Punjab government on Thursday announced construction of 5,000 new classrooms in schools under the Public Schools Reorganisation Programme (PSRP).

Presiding over a meeting of the School Education Department to review various projects and their related issues, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed to establish modern labs to increase the learning capacity of students and announced releasing funds for the construction and maintenance of schools.

She also reviewed a proposal to launch a mobile bus library project in government schools in order to promote study culture among students.

The authorities concerned presented the CM a report on the ongoing school meal programme in three districts of south Punjab. She directed the relevant authorities to establish a formal learning centre for out-of-school children in Punjab.

She was briefed that more than 13.2 million milk packs had been distributed in 3,527 schools and more than 38,000 new students had been enrolled since the start of the programme.

The CM was told that 34 per cent increase in schools enrollment had been completed under the Public School Reorganisation Programme. More than 121,000 new students had been enrolled in 5,675 schools in the province. Besides 164pc increase in the attendance of teachers in schools had also been observed after the start of this programme.

The authorities said teachers would teach children in remote villages through smart class technology. Children would be taught through smart boards connected with solar technology.

They said the number of out-of-school children was the highest in suburban areas of cities and 95pc of parents of these children wanted to teach their children.

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2024