GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet on Sat­urday decided to conduct tests for recruitments on all gazetted posts in the region and approved an education package for Diamer district.

The meeting, headed by Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan, decided to conduct tests through Education Testing Council (ETC) of the HEC to ensure transparency in the appointment process.

Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said the cabinet has given the nod to conduct tests with the help of ETC to ensure meritocracy. He said ETC will be responsible to conduct tests for the recruitment of revenue staff, police, education officers and personnel for other departments.

This will help in doing away with political considerations in the recruitment process, Mr Wani added.

The cabinet also approved a “transformative package” to improve the education sector in Diamer. The package was aimed at increasing enrolment by offering stipends and improving the quality of teachers in far-flung areas of Darel and Tangir by offering better salaries.

Meeting approves plan to shift schools to solar power

A steering committee, headed by the GB education minister, has been formed to chalk out further details of the package.The cabinet also approved a programme to install solar systems in 184 educational institutions to provide uninterrupted electricity. These schools would also be provided with additional battery backup to cater for prolonged outages.

The meeting was told that a computer lab in Sir Syed Government High School 1 has been shifted to solar power, allowing it to function without any interruption.

The CM said the “first-of-its-kind project” in any government school around the country will be completed by Jan 31.

Loans for under privileged students

Meanwhile, in a statement, Mr Wani said the government has initiated a scheme to improve the access to education for underprivileged students. Under the scheme, loans will be provided to meritorious students to continue their studies.

“As the chief secretary, I am also the Chairperson of Karakoram Cooperative Bank Limited and we have come up with the ‘Taleem Finance’ scheme to abate this deprivation,” Mr Wani said.

GB students securing admission to the top 15 universities in the country would be provided loans to cover degree-related expenses. The loans will be recouped with­­in five years of completion of the degrees. “We have already taken the first step by providing ‘Taleem Finance’ to a young girl who secured admission in Nust,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2022