A New Era for Education in Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has introduced ambitious reforms to revolutionize the province’s education system. The CM Education Card will provide essential support for school students, while the CM Eminence/Star Card will recognize students achieving 80% or higher marks, rewarding their academic excellence.

Transforming Schools Through Outsourcing

The CM was briefed on outsourcing initiatives that have already produced remarkable results:

• Student enrollment increased by 52%.
• Teacher numbers rose by 89%, growing from 8,037 to 15,114.
• The Public School Reorganization Program has expanded student numbers from 242,000 to 368,000.
• Teacher salaries tripled, and classroom furniture increased from 371,000 to 523,000.

Expanding Technical and Modern Education

To enhance the education system, the government will:

• Establish Schools of Eminence in every tehsil.
• Set up a cutting-edge Matric Tech lab.
• Introduce technical education from grade five onwards.

Infrastructure and Student Well-being Initiatives

Punjab’s government has implemented a 90-day deadline for improvements, including:

• Provision of drinking water in all schools.
• New furniture and enhanced maintenance.
• An annual target of 2 million new student enrollments.

Additionally, the school meal program will be expanded to Bhakkar, Layyah, and other districts to combat student malnutrition.

Strengthening Teacher Training and Performance Monitoring

The CM has emphasized teacher development with:

• A KPI-based system to monitor educators and administrators.
• Pilot English-speaking classes launched in 338 Lahore schools.
• Plans to introduce international English certification courses in government schools.
• Collaboration with the British Council, allowing five teachers to visit Scotland for training.

Major Developments in School Infrastructure

Under the School Teacher Internship Program, 12,500 interns will be hired, with an overwhelming 568,000 applications received. Additional advancements include:

• 35 new classrooms, 459 school renovations, and 1,389 new water supply pumps.
• Computer labs introduced through self-help efforts.
• The Nawaz Sharif Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education will expand from 250 to 1,200 students.

Furthermore, two million trees have been planted under the “One Plant, One Teacher’s Name” initiative.