“Expense on Education is not Expenditure but Investment” Dr. Khalid Maqbool.

“Expense on Education is not Expenditure but Investment” Dr. Khalid Maqbool.

Ms. Jane Marriott, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, paid Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, a visit in his office on April 18, 2024,. Mr. Mohyuddin Wani, the secretary of education, and Mr. James Hampson, the country director of the British Council, were present at the meeting.

According to Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the Ministry of Education is developing a plan to declare a state of emergency in Pakistani education. According to him, the only option to handle Pakistan’s rapidly rising out-of-school youth population is to elevate it to a national priority. He claimed that slums are growing in major cities as a result of unchecked and rapid urbanisation. He claimed that no education policy takes into account these slums. He emphasised how crucial it is to make sure that no child is left behind. He urged help from the UK in the effort to eradicate out-of-school youth.

He stated that in order to streamline and channel all of the effort, we must get all of the stakeholders—donors in particular—onto the same platform. He declared that we are working nonstop to make sure that the advancement of education becomes a top priority for the country.

The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ms. Jane Marriott, stated that the United Kingdom and Pakistan are the most established partners, having stood shoulder to shoulder since 1947. She told the minister that the UK supports the growth of its green program, which may result in more Pakistani students enrolling in UK universities through distance learning.

She also let the minister know that Pakistan’s efforts to solve the issue of education access have the full backing of Google Education. The education minister and the British High Commissioner also talked about the potential and difficulties that come with education being devolved to the provinces.

The Ministry of Education is creating a comprehensive plan that will proclaim an emergency in the field of education and bring all parties involved into alignment, Secretary of Education Mr. Mohyuddin Wani noted. According to him, every NGO and donor functioning in Pakistan is divided into compartments and silos. According to him, there is a concerted effort underway to guarantee that a single platform can coordinate and direct the efforts of all parties involved in Pakistan’s education system.

According to Khalid Maqbool, the goal is to train one million young people in the IT industry. He expressed his optimism that Pakistan will rank among the world’s top providers of IT specialists in the medium run. He requested assistance from the UK in obtaining these IT-trained professionals’ globally renowned IT certifications. In addition, he stated that it is critical that experts attend to our pupils’ mental health as well. According to him, the education ministry wants to set up stations for mental health awareness and support in each of Islamabad’s colleges.

He stated that although steps have been taken to address Pakistan’s education problems, more work and attention are still needed. In order to boost enrollment, he informed the British High Commissioner that a National Nutrition Programme had also been started in Islamabad. According to him, paying for school is an investment rather than an expense.

The minister was informed by James Hompson, Country Director of the British Council, that Pakistan has the largest British Council programme, second only to China. He asked the minister to let him know that the Global Chief Executive of the British Council would like to pay him a visit when he visits Pakistan in May. The Federal Minister praised the British Council’s initiative and conveyed a strong desire to strengthen ties between Pakistan and the British Council, particularly in terms of expanding educational outreach initiatives for the nation’s slums in its major cities.