Caretaker Minister for Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education, Prof Dr Mohammad Qasim Khan has said that the education-friendly policy of the provincial government is evident from the fact that about 24 percent of the provincial budget is being spent on education. He expressed these views while addressing a function organized under the auspices of All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association at Nishtar Hall, Peshawar here on Wednesday. Besides the secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education, Mutasimbillah Shah, the central president Private Schools Management Association Kashif Adeeb Javadani also addressed the function. He said that in the current era of globalization and our effort is to prepare students to compete at the international level, equip them with IT skills and introduce them to scientific education along with new innovations. He added that we still need to work harder to focus on quality education as well as bring out-of-school students to schools and arrest the drop-out ratio. Paying tribute to the private sector, the minister said that our resources are limited and the private sector is supporting them in this regard. He said that they consider the teachers and students of private educational institutions across the province as an important part of the education system and taking steps to guide them. He said that all private educational institutions should make their facilities according to the standards set by the provincial government. The provincial minister said that the literacy rate has increased significantly with the mutual support of the public and private sectors. He said that girls’ education has also been given special attention because by making a girl child educated, the whole family becomes educated and an educated mother gives the best education to her children as well as makes them good citizens.