ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Tuesday that the federal government plans to establish Danish Schools in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, and remote areas of Balochistan and Sindh.
The aim is to fulfill Quaid-e-Azam’s vision for Pakistan by providing quality education to children from economically disadvantaged families.
Speaking at a ceremony in Kuri, the federal capital, Shehbaz stated, “It is unjust if children from poor families, despite their parents’ hard work, cannot afford quality education or if they are orphaned. If prestigious institutions like Aitchison College or Grammar School pose barriers to their education, then Danish Schools are open to them.”
These schools, spanning 30 acres of land, will offer free education and accommodation to children from the capital city and its environs, ensuring equal access to quality education.
Shehbaz emphasized the pressing issue of 26 million out-of-school children, labeling it as “criminal negligence” and asserting that fulfilling Quaid-e-Azam’s dream for Pakistan hinges on addressing their educational needs. The federal government will cover all expenses for constructing Danish Schools in AJK, GB, remote areas of Balochistan, and Sindh.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz pledged to declare an education emergency nationwide, allocating significant resources, particularly for educating children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He highlighted past initiatives under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, including distributing laptops to students and recruiting 200,000 teachers based on merit.
He announced the imminent groundbreaking of Islamabad’s Danish School, urging the education ministry to ensure its completion within 6-8 months. Shehbaz also committed to personally inaugurate Danish Schools in AJK, GB, and Balochistan.
In a related development, education advocate and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to increase education expenditure to at least 4% of the national GDP. Malala commended progress in girls’ education over the past decade but stressed the need for continued attention, particularly in the government’s first 100 days.
Malala also congratulated Shehbaz on his appointment as Prime Minister and extended Eid greetings to several dignitaries, including the President of Turkey and the Amir of Qatar.
Shehbaz exchanged Eid greetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, emphasizing bilateral cooperation and inviting Erdogan to visit Pakistan soon to convene the 7th session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Both leaders expressed solidarity on core national interests and called for peace in Palestine.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
