British government provide free books to 3m students
PESHAWAR, June 10: The British government will support the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the education sector by providing free textbooks to three million schoolchildren for the next academic year.
British Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell made this announcement here on Thursday. He said his government would also give Rs200 stipend to 300,000 girls to encourage them to attend schools.
Talking to journalists, Mr Mitchell said the Department for International Development was financing a project in the education sector under which 44 schools, including 32 for girls, were being constructed in the province.
He said: “Pakistan is facing an education emergency. The facts are shocking. Half the adult populations -- and two thirds of women -- are illiterate.” He said free distribution of textbooks would improve enrolment in schools in the province and more than three million children would benefit from the scheme.
He said he was determined to make the country a higher priority for the DFID. He said support for education was important in a country where half the adult population was illiterate.
He said his trip signalled a renewed focus from the UK government on development for Pakistan. “DFID is committed to supporting the Government of Pakistan in achieving its education goals and speeding up progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
Additional secretary for education Qaiser Alam was also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, a press release said security situation in Malakand in 2009 had had a major impact on education in the province, disrupting services to over one million children. The UK support, it said, would ensure continuation of free education in the province.
The visiting British secretary also called on Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani.
The governor said the situation in the country, especially in this province and Fata, was the fallout of the situation prevailing across the border for over last 30 years. “Therefore, we as a nation earnestly desire restoration of peace and normalisation in Afghanistan and wellbeing of the respective people.
“We are sparing no effort on our part to make this possible, and we are also thankful to the world community for its support and assistance from time to time in this connection,” he added.Dawan
