Corpun file 15554

Daily Times, Lahore, 19 April 2005

Durrani decides to ban corporal punishment in NWFP schools

(extract)

PESHAWAR: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani on Monday decided to ban corporal punishment in education institutions in the province.

He said this while talking to Dr Omer Abdi, UNICEF representative for Pakistan and Chief Provincial Officer Osama Makkawi Khogali. The UNICEF representatives agreed to increase the agency's funding for the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government's education reforms. UNICEF had a global voice and could persuade donors to help the MMA government accomplish such reforms, they said.

The chief minister said the government favoured banning corporal punishment in educational institutions and also supported student character building, training students and the participation of parents to educate their children.

The government had planned to invest billions of rupees in education, thus making it the base for national progress, he said, adding the MMA was committed to providing education for all. It had started a quality education programme that would be accomplished through the collective effort of all stakeholders, he said, adding the system of monitoring and supervision would also be strengthened. Durrani requested a joint meeting of UNICEF and the provincial education department to consider recommendations that would form the base for future education policy. The chief minister was told that education reforms, the provision of infrastructure in educational institutions, the development of schools and meeting the provinces’ future educational requirements would cost Rs 100 billion.

[...]

staff report