MADEEHA GUL Our educational system must provide quality education to the children and youth to enable them to realise their individual potential and contribute to the development of society and the nation. The Punjab government is attaching top priority to the uplift of the education sector and thus has taken revolutionary and unprecedented measures. The Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, has said: The progress and prosperity of the country can only be achieved through the elimination of illiteracy, ignorance and equipping the youth with modern education. He firmly believes that education is an effective weapon against extremism and terrorism as it broadens ones vision. It is an established fact that no society can progress without the development of backward areas and the promotion of quality education. The social disparity tends to leave a negative impact on society, if equal opportunities of education were not provided to all segments. Pakistan has produced a number of educational policies in the past and all have been quality documents in their own right. The failure has been, however, in the commitment and implementation. One hopes that the dynamic and tireless leadership that Mian Shahbaz provides would enable the nation to direct its energies to the cause of education. Historically, early childhood education has not been formally recognised by the public sector in Pakistan. There are multiple causes of low literacy such as social taboos, poverty, child labour, illiteracy of parent/families and institutional weakness. Hence, the efforts to combat illiteracy have been half-hearted, disjointed and not suited to local conditions and needs. Recently, the Punjab government launched several new initiatives aiming to fill the gaps in the overall facilities and improving of the infrastructure; and merger of shelterless schools has been one of them. A large number of shelterless schools and masjid/maktab (schools in mosques) have been functioning in the same village or locality, along with government primary, elementary or high school for boys or girls. Some schools have been non-functional due to defective selection of the site or without potential for feasible enrolment. The concerned authority has now decided to eliminate duplication and redundancy of the system. Masjid/maktab, without official land in their possession and without purpose-built building of two or more classrooms, constructed with government funds is now being merged with regular boys or girls primary schools or with senior level schools of the same village or locality. The merger takes place along with staff, students, building, furniture, fixture, land and other assets and liabilities. If the staff of the merged school exceeds the student teacher ratio of 40:1, it has been reviewed and re-allocated to be posted in other schools with staff shortage. Shelterless and non-functional schools have also been merged on the same pattern taking due care of their land and other assets. Schools functioning in rented buildings have also been merged with the nearest government school at a distance that is within the prescribed criteria. Schools working in a rented building, would also be merged in accordance with the above formula. The most appreciable element is that the payment of salary and other dues to the teacher has been specifically ensured after such mergers. The success of the merger of shelterless schools would largely depend on our commitment to the cause of education in the province. The low literacy rate has been a source of worry for all concerned Pakistanis. And poor educational standard indeed means that Pakistans development and progress remain sluggish. It is hoped that the current initiative will be a success. Students would be encouraged and motivated to figure out their future living up to their desires and potential. The writer is a freelance columnist.