CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sets Ambitious Education Targets and Reform Plans

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has announced an ambitious target to enroll two million children in schools annually, emphasizing that improving the quality of education remains her top priority. Speaking during a high-level meeting in Lahore, she stressed the importance of ending the culture of receiving salaries without teaching and vowed to bring about significant reforms in the education sector.

The Punjab government has unveiled the CM Education Card initiative, which will reward students who score above 80% with a CM Eminence/Star Card. Furthermore, the government plans to establish a “School of Eminence” in every tehsil across the province.

During the briefing, CM Maryam Nawaz was informed about the positive impact of outsourcing in schools, where student enrollment has risen by 52%, and the number of teachers has increased by 89%. The reorganization of 5,863 public schools has led to a surge in student enrollment from 242,000 to over 368,000.

Following the first phase of outsourcing, the number of teachers increased from 8,037 to 15,114, with some salaries tripling. Maryam Nawaz also announced the creation of a state-of-the-art lab for Matric-Tech students and instructed that technical education be included as a subject starting from class five.

In addition, she set a 90-day deadline for schools to improve drinking water facilities, whitewashing, and furniture arrangements. Praising Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat’s decision to enroll his son in an early childhood education center, she called it a model example.

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“We are introducing innovation in education with Matric-Tech,” Maryam Nawaz stated, adding that her vision is to raise government school standards to match those of top private institutions.