RAWALPINDI: Bodies formed to inspect works in schools
RAWALPINDI, March 2: The government of Punjab has expressed dissatisfaction over the work done in schools and colleges under the education sector reforms, terming them substandard and slow- paced.
In this regard, a meeting presided over by senior minister Mohammad Basharat Raja here on Wednesday constituted committees at tehsil level which would visit all the primary, elementary and high schools to inspect the construction works carried out in these institutions.
Minister for public health engineering Mushtaq Kiani, provincial parliamentary secretary Raja Rashid Hafeez, acting District Nazim Raja Javed Akhlas and heads of the works and construction departments attended the meeting.
The committees will take stock of the standard of construction, make assessment of the delay in completion of work and will present reports to the senior minister.
Representatives from the works and services department, officials of the education department and elected representatives have been included in the committees. Mr Basharat was concerned over the low standard and unnecessary delay in providing facilities in the educational institutions. Issuing directives for impartial inquiries, he said wastage of public funds would not be tolerated.
He directed the quarters concerned to complete these projects as soon as possible. He said schools damaged by the recent rains and floods be repaired at the earliest. Those schools which did not have electricity be provided power from these funds. An amount of Rs4 million be earmarked for this purpose, he said.
He asked the works and services department to assess all the schemes and remove the shortcomings. About Rs13 million be spared for the improvement of infrastructure, he said. The minister also said development works should be started after proper consultation with the provincial assembly members.