National News

ISLAMABAD,(MILLAT+APP): President Mamnoon Hussain on
Tuesday underlined the need for increasing the education
budget to 4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to raise national
literacy rate.
The President was talking to Minister of State for
Federal Education and Professional Training Baligh-ur-Rehman
who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Makhdoom Adeel-ur-Rehman, Coordinator Prime Minister’s
Youth Programme was also present in the meeting.
The President stressed upon public-private partnership,
which is a non-formal model, to supplement public sector
efforts in the education field to spread quality education
across the country.
He said that a viable strategy needs to be evolved by
Higher Education Commission to meet the challenges posed by
the youth bulge in Pakistan and emphasized on the need to
promote volunteerism in educational institutions to encourage
services in social sector.
The President commended Minister of State for Federal
Education and Professional Training for his personal interest
in preparation of national educational curriculum and
legislation to make Quranic teachings part of curriculum.
He appreciated the Fee Reimbursement Scheme for
deserving students under Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and
said that such initiatives will not only encourage needy
students to pursue their educational careers but also promote
education in the country.
The President asked the Minister to expedite
implementation of educational programmes for tangible results
and assured of his full support and cooperation in this
regard.
He called for removing all illegal encroachments on
Quaid-e-Azam University’s land so that the university campus
can be effectively used for educational purposes.
The Minister of State briefed the President about
various educational initiatives of the government for quality
human resource development and about matters relating to his
Ministry.