Missing facilities: ‘Schools more important than roads’

The government is focused on steering Pakistan out of energy crisis in the next two to three years, says Minister for Law and Local Government Rana Sanaullah. PHOTO: ONLINE

FAISALABAD: 

“Provision of facilities at schools and colleges is more important than construction of streets and drains. A nation is not built with roads, but with spread of knowledge,” Minister for Law and Local Government Rana Sanaullah said on Monday.

He was addressing a gathering at the Government MC Boys High School Samanabad where he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new block. He also inaugurated the school library and a computer lab.

The new block would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs37.20 million. Thirty-two classrooms would be constructed in the double storey building. These would include a science laboratory and toilets.

Stressing the need for rehabilitation and construction of schools, Sanaullah said that Punjab government was concerned about missing facilities at schools. He said it would not only ensure provision of missing facilities at all schools across the province, but will also establish new schools in remote areas.

He said a comprehensive development programme was being followed to improve conditions at schools in his constituency. He said the government planned to introduce post graduate classes in some disciplines at the Women’s Degree College. Principal Asif Jehangir welcomed the minister and thanked him for arranging funds for the construction of the new block.

He said Rs5.2 million had been provided separately by the minister for a computer laboratory, a library and classrooms that were inaugurated on Monday.

The principal shared annual results of the school and said that eight of its students had been awarded with the Quaid-i-Azam Award- the highest award given to students with remarkable scores in board examinations.

The School Council vice chairman, Sultan Mehmud, also spoke at the event.

Health facilities

Sanaullah said that a 50-bed General Hospital had been set up at Samanabad. It would be expanded to 200 beds soon, he said. He said no one will be deprived of healthcare and that equipment would be provided at all hospitals.

He stressed the need for launching rigorous anti-encroachment campaigns and projects for durable infrastructure.

‘National consensus needed to counter challenges’

Sanaullah said that the government, opposition and all segments of the society needed to be on the same page to counter terrorism and energy crisis. He said national consensus was imperative to meet any challenge.

He said the present government was focused on steering Pakistan out of energy crisis in the next two to three years. He said the Gadani project had been initiated to generate 6,600 megawatt electricity. A Solar Energy Park was also being completed in Sahiwal.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2014.