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ISLAMABAD
- President
General Pervez Musharraf has said human development
is the anchor of his economic revival program aimed at
progress and prosperity of the country. He was speaking
at a ceremony held to award those individual philanthropists
who donated $ 100,000 each towards the Fund here Friday
night.
President
Musharraf said the real wealth of the country
were its people who deserve equal opportunities
to reach their fullest potential.
He said Human Development Programme is the main ingredient for the development
and prosperity of the nation and plays a crucial role in development
of the society.
Musharraf said his short and long term strategy was to concentrate on
Human Development and in this regard he had created a special Foundation
on Human Development in June 2001, to develop innovative strategies for
social transformation and poverty alleviation. The Foundation was mandated
to assess needs, recommend integrated solutions for the delivery of primary
education, adult literacy, micro-enterprise and primary health care,
and propose plans for capacity building in social sectors. Pleased over
the progress made so far, the president said, he wanted expeditious implementation
of the recommendations and added that for this objective he has setup
the National
Commission for Human Development, to be chaired by Dr. Nasim Ashraf.
He said under the programme, Basic Health Units would be established
in rural areas and Tehsil level hospitals where services of medical specialists
and modern equipment would be ensured. As regards education, he said
the government has evolved a strategy to impart modern and scientific
education in the 'Madrassah'. The students of religious institutions
would also be taught English, Science, Math besides computer training
while their religious curricula would remain the same. Besides, he said
qualitative improvement would be brought in the primary and secondary
level education by starting programmes for teachers training and modernizing
the examination system. He said technical school would be opened at Tehsil
Headquarters. A total of 450 schools would be opened under this programme.
The president also announced setting up of Higher Education Commission
headed by Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, Minister for Science and Technology. He
said this commission had been necessitated because the University Grants
Commission has lost its utility. He added that Ordinance to this effect
has been promulgated and the commission would be operative from August
15.
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