Punjab CM announces 'Star Card' for These students

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has introduced transformative initiatives to enhance the education system in Punjab.

The CM Education Card will be launched to facilitate school education, while students scoring above 80 percent marks will receive the CM Eminence/Star Card as recognition of their academic excellence.

Chairing a special meeting on school education here on Tuesday, the CM was briefed on the positive impact of outsourcing schools, which has led to a 52 percent increase in student enrollment and an 89 percent rise in the number of teachers.

The Public School Reorganization Program has resulted in a student population surge from 242,000 to 368,000, while the teacher workforce has grown from 8,037 to 15,114. Additionally, teacher salaries have tripled, and classroom facilities, including chairs and desks, have increased from 371,000 to 523,000.

The government has decided to establish modern Schools of Eminence across Punjab, ensuring that every tehsil will have a high-standard institution. A state-of-the-art lab for Matriculation Tech will also be set up, and technical education will be introduced as a subject from grade five onwards.

The Textbook Board has recorded savings of one billion rupees, and a 90-day deadline has been set for the provision of drinking water, furniture, and school maintenance. The CM has also set an annual enrollment target of two million children.

To address nutrition in schools, a school meal program will be launched in Bhakkar, Layyah, and other districts.

A KPI-based performance monitoring system will be implemented for education officers and teachers. Following the CM’s directive, a pilot project for English conversation classes has been launched in 338 schools in Lahore, and plans are underway to introduce international English courses with certification in government schools.

The CM emphasized road safety by directing strict implementation of zebra crossings in front of schools. She also highlighted that, for the first time in Punjab, textbooks have been successfully distributed at the beginning of the academic session in March.

With British Council support, five government school teachers will be sent on a study tour of Scotland.

The school meal program, currently active in Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, and DG Khan, has led to improved physical development, attendance, and enrollment. The number of students has risen from 631,050 to 416,803, with four crore milk packs distributed among students.

The Nawaz Sharif Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education is also set to expand its student capacity from 250 to 1,200. The CM praised Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat’s decision to enroll his son in an Early Childhood Education Centre, calling it a model example.

Under the School Teacher Internship Program, 12,500 interns will be recruited across Punjab, with 568,000 candidates already applying. Outsourcing has led to the construction of 35 new classrooms, 459 renovation projects, 110 new toilets, 158 boundary walls, and the installation of 1,389 water supply pumps.

New computer labs have been established in schools under self-help initiatives, and 235,000 students have enrolled in 2,000 Matric Tech schools, where subjects like agriculture, fashion design, health sciences, and ICT will be introduced.

The appointment process for 287 CEOs, DEOs, and education officers has been completed, with the Education Minister personally conducting interviews.

The Alumni Association will support the construction of new school grounds, buildings, and classrooms. Under the “One Plant, One Teacher’s Name” program, two million saplings have been planted. Over the next five years, 30,000 classrooms, 600 elementary schools, and 400 high schools will be built.