ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Tuesday said that establishment of IT University in Rawalpindi would further accelerate the process of social and economic development and foreign investment in the education sector would be appreciated. The president said this while talking to a delegation of foreign investors who called on him here at the Awian-e-Sadr. The delegation included the heads of foreign multinational companies. Senator Kamran Michael also accompanied the delegation. The president emphasised that education had a pivotal role in the development of human resource and the incumbent government was making all out efforts for the socio-economic development of the country. He stated that the government was working on several projects to encourage the pursuit of higher education such as prime minister’s Scheme for provision of laptops and prime minister’s fee reimbursement programme. He said that the universities had a significant role in the social and economic progress of the country. The president underscored that there was a conducive environment for foreign investors in the country as Pakistan had greatly overcome the menace of terrorism adding that Pakistan would welcome the investment in textile sector. The president appreciated the establishment of Information Technology University in Rawat by the delegation in collaboration with the government of Punjab. He also commended the efforts of the delegation in promoting educational projects. He said that their struggle for the betterment of the marginalized classes of the society was highly praiseworthy. While appreciating the award of scholarship to Pakistani students, the president underlined that the government would continue to support welfare activities through education. He stated that Pakistan would definitely take part in Winter Olympics. PMERP: Under the Prime Minister Education Reform Programme (PMERP), work on 100 schools is under way simultaneously to provide necessary facilities to students. PMERP Project Director Waqas called on the Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and briefed the minister about the current status of civil works on the PMERP. The minister will start inspection visits to the schools in rural areas from next week to check the quality and pace of work. Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that a sum of Rs 2.74 billion was earmarked for the physical up-gradation and provision of facilities in the 422 schools of CADD. The programme will focus on the establishment of new class rooms, libraries, laboratories, washroom blocks, raising of boundary walls, provision of furniture for students and teachers, security arrangements and other civil works. The PMERP is employing several strategies to revamp the public sector education institutions in Islamabad by improving the overall standards of teaching and learning along with providing access and creating conducive learning environment for the students. These strategies include restructuring of Federal Directorate of Education to improve governance to strengthen ICT schools/colleges, quality interventions at ICT schools with special focus on area education officers, teachers and school heads, up-gradation of physical infrastructure of 422 educational institutions (including missing facilities) and provision of 200 busses and engagement with development partners. The minister said that the new initiatives undertaken by CADD under the PMERP for the improvement of pedagogic skills among teachers were very important. He said that new set of technical training programmes had been introduced to train teachers on modern lines and new indicators had been set up to gauge their performance. Published in Daily Times, September 20th 2017.