QUETTA: Scholarship awards were distributed among students under the Benazir Scholarship programme during a ceremony here on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, provincial Education Minister Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind said that Covid-19 had adversely affected the education sector in Balochistan as almost a year had been wasted due to the pandemic.

He said the people were facing a hard time these days but nations always faced difficult times with courage. He said unfortunately Balochistan was much behind other provinces of the country in education and health sectors. He criticised the previous provincial government, saying that it never bothered to give proper attention to health and education sectors.

He appreciated the people who introduced the Benazir Scholarship programme in the education sector and said students of Balochistan were equally talented as children in other parts of the country. There was a need for providing them opportunities so that they could prove their creative skills and abilities, he added.

Mr Rind urged the affluent people to invest money in the education sector, saying that investment in the education sector meant investment in the youth. He said with small contributions from the affluent people Balochistan would also surely progress in education.

The minister highly appreciated the talented students who won the Benazir Scholarship award. He advised them to utilise all their energies for the acquisition of knowledge. He appreciated the efforts of teachers, saying that he saluted their dedication.

Mr Rind praised dedicated determinations of mothers for education of their children when schools were closed due to Covid-19 lockdowns.

Earlier, the education minister distributed scholarship awards among qualified students of the Benazir Scholarship programme.

Officials, teachers, parents and students attended the ceremony in a large number.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2020