Chairman, Punjab Education Foundation, Engineer Qamar ul Islam Raja said this while addressing a partnership agreement signing ceremony at Children's Library Complex on Tuesday. The ceremony was attended by newly selected school partners from Faisalabad, Kasur, Okara and Sheikhupura districts. Raja said that vouchers based education is a unique idea to educate the children of low income families near to their homes. A voucher is issued to the needy student to study free of cost in PEF partner school of choice. The PEF provides books and monthly fee to the partner schools. This scheme is efficiently serving to the impecunious strata in all the 36 districts of the province. In order to meet the rising needs of such communities, expansion phase is launched so that no one is left unattended, he added.
The PEF is targeting to enrol a total of 2.8 million needy students in its partner schools by 2018. This is part of 'Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab' program of the Punjab government, he told. He said that the focus of this expansion phase is to provide free quality education in education-deficient areas of the province. This will especially benefit the girls living in remote and far-flung areas. He maintained that education is a strong catalysing force which helps in alleviating poverty and joblessness, while it prepares the budding minds as confident and forward looking youth to play their due role in national development. Therefore, the Foundation has especially ensured that conducive atmosphere is provided to the students, because we believe that our students are 'leaders of tomorrow.'
He further said that transparency and merit are the conspicuous hallmarks of this Foundation. Our performance and good work is recognised both nationally as well as internationally, he added. Earlier, Director (EVS) Samina Nawaz welcomed the Chairman in her address.
Meanwhile, partnership agreements were signed with school owners from Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan districts at a ceremony held at PEF regional office Multan. PEF Addl. Director (south) Mazhar Abbas chaired the ceremony. The PEF will sign partnership agreements with school owners from Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Jhang, Khushab and Dera Ghazi Khan on Wednesday.