Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has decided in principle to provide transport facility to girls’ students of public sector schools in far-flung areas under the Parents Teachers Council (PTC) Funds. He was chairing a meeting of the Elementary & Secondary Education Department held here on Wednesday. Administrative Secretaries and other high ups of Education, Law, Finance and Planning & Development Departments attended the meeting. The CM has also directed the Elementary & Secondary Education Department to formulate a mechanism for the purpose and start the initiative as a pilot project in any of the backward districts. The initiative is aimed at promoting girls’ education in the province. The meeting made threadbare discussion on the establishment of a centralized education board with the aim to have a uniform examination system and improve quality of education in the province. Mahmood Khan, while agreeing in principle to the proposal of establishing a centralized/educational board at provincial level, directed the authorities of Elementary & Secondary Education Department to constitute a joint working group of concerned stakeholders with the aim to finalize the modalities within 90 days and to come up with solid proposals to this end. In the meeting, it was proposed that the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education Peshawar will work as a centralized board and the existing seven other boards will continue as Board Facilitation Centers whereas such centers would also be set up in all districts of the province in future for the facilitation of students. The meeting also discussed matters related to reforms in Parent Teacher Council Funds and important decisions were made to this end. The meeting decided in principle to broaden the scope of PTC funds, and it was proposed to include the provision of free transport facilities to the girl students of far flung areas besides the construction of new classrooms in schools. It was also suggested to purchase water coolers, fire extinguishers, sport goods etc. from the PTC fund. The chief minister while agreeing in principle to the said proposals directed the Elementary & Secondary Education Department to devise a mechanism in this regard. He also directed the Education Department to devise a mechanism for the provision of wheelchairs to students with disabilities through the Social Welfare Department. He further directed the authorities of the Education Department to generate an assessment report regarding the work done in schools through PTC funds. The chief minister directed the quarters concerned to review the system of autonomous public schools and submit proposals in this regard so as to streamline the affairs of those schools. He also directed them to pay special attention to the reconstruction of damaged school buildings in urban areas of the province.