SWABI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced that the provincial government will raise the education budget by 13 percent in the next fiscal year.
He stated that the increased budget will improve the infrastructure of schools and colleges. “Better infrastructure is needed to improve the quality of education,” Gandapur said during the first convocation of Gajju Khan Medical College (GKMC) in Swabi.
The convocation took place at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology because GKMC does not yet have its own building and operates from the Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital. Medical graduates, their parents, and teachers attended the event.
Chief Minister Attends GKMC’s First Convocation
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was the chief guest at the convocation, where he awarded degrees to 235 graduates. Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, MNA Shahram Khan Tarakai, and Provincial Transport Minister Rangaiz Khan were also present.
A total of 104 students received gold medals for their excellent academic performance during their studies. Established in 2014, GKMC welcomed its first batch in September 2016, and four batches have completed their MBBS degrees so far.
Gandapur emphasized that Pakistani degrees should be recognized worldwide. He said successful institutions are those whose degrees are valued in the job market. He also advised against studying at institutions whose degrees lack recognition.
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He urged new doctors to serve in remote hospitals, noting that many facilities have buildings and equipment but lack doctors, making them ineffective. Gandapur described medicine as a respected profession and encouraged doctors to maintain patients’ trust.
The chief minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving healthcare services and highlighted steps already taken, with more planned. He also mentioned the Sehat Card health insurance program, which aims to provide healthcare to those in need.
Gandapur shared that when he became chief minister, the government could only pay salaries for 18 days. Now, the financial situation has improved, with funds available for three months’ salaries. He expressed concern about delays in pension payments and said efforts are being made to ensure timely salary and pension payments.
He noted that the government has paid off Rs50 billion of a Rs750 billion debt inherited when he took office. Gandapur also promised that the construction of GKMC’s own building, paused due to lack of funds, will be completed this year with funding allocated in the next budget. “The next convocation will be held in your college’s own building,” he said.
Additionally, he announced plans for a cardiac center at Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital to provide free treatment to heart patients in the district. Gandapur allocated Rs35 million for honorariums for GKMC employees and said their promotions would be approved soon.
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GKMC Principal Prof Shamsur Rehman spoke about the college’s academic efforts and the faculty’s work to provide quality medical education. He said the college achieved a 100 percent pass rate in exams over the last three years due to the dedication of its staff. He also stressed the need for the college to have its own building.
KP Government Addresses Solar Project Concerns
In a separate development, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government rejected claims of irregularities and financial issues in its program to provide free solar systems to 130,000 poor and middle-class families. The government called these claims false and misleading, spread by some media outlets.
The government clarified that the solar project, managed by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) under the KP Energy and Power Department, was launched through an online e-balloting system. Deserving families were selected fairly, and the department has instructed that the project be completed quickly. The government stated that some groups linked to the solar business, unhappy with the project’s progress, have spread false information.
