By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Member Punjab Assembly Mehwish Sultana has said that education must be recognized not only as a social priority but also as a key economic driver.
She emphasized that the Government of Punjab is aligning SDG 4 (Quality Education) with SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by actively removing barriers to girls’ enrolment and reducing dropout rates. She was addressing a policy dialogue titled “Girls’ Vision for Education” organized by Youth Tube in collaboration with the Parliamentary Development Unit of the Punjab Assembly at the Old Hall of the Punjab Assembly.
The event placed secondary school girls at the center of discussion, enabling them to directly present their priorities to lawmakers, education officials, and civil society representatives.
Addressing the session, Shakeel Ahmed Bhatti, Advisor to the Minister of Education, highlighted the launch of Punjab’s new “Marticteach” program, which equips students with job-ready skills in fields such as IoT, graphic design, fashion, and plumbing. He informed that more than 52,000 students are already enrolled.
Muhammad Ali, Deputy Director of the School Education Department, stated that girls outperformed boys in the 2024 matriculation results. He pointed to government incentives such as scholarships, e-bikes, and laptops designed to keep girls in school and reduce dropout rates. From civil society, CEO Youth Tube, Iqbal Haider Butt, stressed the importance of making curricula more practical and activity-based, while student counselor Sarang Aamir called for stronger counseling services in schools to guide girls in exploring diverse study and career paths. Project Officers Muzammil Majeed and Hussain Sajjad Hashmi further engaged participants on student expectations, barriers to education, inclusive practices, and the future role of Artificial Intelligence in learning. The girls participating in the dialogue put forward their own demands, including Improved libraries and science laboratories, Sports grounds and extracurricular facilities, Permanent computer teachers, Renovation of unsafe school buildings and Greater integration of skills training within mainstream education.
The recommendations were formally presented to policymakers and education officials. Organizers assured that the proposals will be compiled and shared with both the Punjab Assembly and the School Education Department for follow-up action.
