Shahzad Alamgir, Bureau Chief, Dawn TV, Daily Dawn
LAHORE: Member Punjab Assembly Mehwish Sultana has said that education should not only be recognized as a social priority but also as an economic driver. She stressed that the Punjab government is aligning SDG 4 (quality education) with SDG 5 (gender equality) by removing barriers to girls’ entry and reducing dropout rates. She was addressing a policy dialogue, “Girls’ Vision for Education,” held at the Old Hall of the Punjab Assembly, organized by Youth Tube in collaboration with the Parliamentary Development Unit of the Punjab Assembly. The event gave a central role to secondary school girls so that they could directly present their demands and priorities before lawmakers, education authorities and representatives of civil society. Addressing the meeting, Advisor to the Education Minister Shakeel Ahmed Bhatti highlighted the launch of Punjab’s new “Matric Teach” program, which provides students with life-ready skills, including IoT, graphic design, fashion and plumbing. He said that more than 52,000 students have enrolled in the program so far. Muhammad Ali, Deputy Director, School Education Department, said that girls performed better than boys in the 2024 matric results. He also highlighted initiatives provided by the government, such as scholarships, e-bikes and laptops, which are helping to keep girls in schools and prevent dropouts. Representing civil society, CEO Youth Tube Iqbal Haider Butt stressed the need to make the curriculum more practical and activity-based, while Student Counselor Sarang Amir called for providing strong counseling services in schools so that female students can explore different educational and professional paths. Project officers Muzammil Majeed and Hussain Sajjad Hashmi discussed student expectations, educational barriers, inclusion initiatives, and the future of artificial intelligence in the education sector.
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