Islamabad - The minister of state for federal education has urged to upscale and regularise the public private partnership education programs to provide quality education to students.

The Minister Baligh ur Rehman said this in 21st meeting of Board of Governors of National Education Foundation (NEF).

The minister shared experiences of his visit to vocational training schools established under public private partnership by NEF and expressed his satisfaction on the project.

The minister was informed by NEF officials that presently 12 private schools for technical and vocational education, three each from federally administered areas of ICT, FATA, GB and AJK, are being run under the program. The minister advised NEF to increase the number of participating schools every year to a total of 48 such schools in 3-year time.   

The minister also suggested that public private partnership program should be scaled up and regularized to include more private schools and support more students.

The minister said that as practiced by provincial education foundations, NEF should enter into partnerships with private schools for formal education as well.

“Public-private partnership venture in education sector is an efficient and cost effective method of providing quality education to students”, he said.

“Project needs to be expanded, regularized and support to students and partnering schools should be provided on a sustainable basis”, he added. 

Board agreed to the minister’s suggestion and instructed NEF to raise a proposal in this regard to the ministry on priority basis.

The board also agreed to carry out impact analysis study of the schools being run under the program as a project by University graduates, for which Vice Chancellor AIOU assured support to the Board.

The board also evaluated progress on the development of curriculum for vocational education and issued instructions for formation of committee of professionals form relevant departments for the purpose.

A model book on technical education for 6th class was also presented by NEF to board members and they were informed that one for 7th class was in the final stages.

The minister also suggested making the scholarship program for children of FG teachers predominantly need based and also to increase the amount of assistance to come close to the actual education expenses borne by students.  In this regard, the board agreed to review the financial assistance program through Executive Committee meeting and come up with revised proposal.