PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday announced enhancement of seed money for CM Education Endowment Fund (CMEEF) from Rs1.2 billion to Rs2.4 billion.
Addressing a scholarship distribution ceremony at the chief minister house under the CMEEF, Mr Gandapur said that an endowment fund with Rs2 billion seed money had been established to provide free education up to grade 12 for girls and orphan children.
He said that the provincial government would “go all-out” to halve tuition feesin all public sector higher education institutions from the next fiscal year, according to an official statement.
The chief minister said that efforts were being made to boost the province’s revenue through enhanced resource mobilisation to achieve that target.
Says tuition fee in govt higher education institutions to be halved next year
He said that over the past nine months, the provincial government had achieved a 44pc increase in provincial revenue.
“We will invest the maximum resources in education and the future of our children to transform them into a true national asset,” he said.
Mr Gandapur expressed confidence in the youth and said he believed that young people would make not only the province but also the nation proud on both national and international platforms, showcasing the positive image of Pakistan and Islam globally. He said that the provincial government was fully committed to supporting youth.
He felicitated the students and their parents on achieving scholarships, saying, “I commend the hard work of students and their families on achieving these scholarships.”
On the occasion, the Chief Minister distributed scholarship certificates among 82 students. These fully-funded scholarships cover tuition fees, free accommodation, and food allowances. So far, under the CM Education Endowment Fund, scholarships worth Rs615 million have been awarded to 526 students, including 366 undergraduate and 150 graduate scholarships, enabling students to study at top notch educational institutions in Pakistan. Additionally, 10 graduate scholarships have been granted to students for studies at international universities.
The event was attended by higher education minister Meena Khan Afridi, high-ups of the higher education department, students, and their parents.
Also, a delegation of the Young Parliamentarians Forum called on the chief minister here on Monday.
The visitors were led by Forum president Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar and composed of members from various political parties and provinces, according to an official statement.
It added that the country’s political landscape and matters of national interest came under discussion during the meeting.
Mr Gandapur emphasised the need for smaller provinces and administrative units to enhance governance and service delivery.
He said that large administrative setups hindered effective management, whereas smaller units would resolve up to 90 per cent of administrative issues and address public grievances at grassroots level.
The chief minister also urged young parliamentarians to study international governance models and recommend the same to the government to be adopted.
Touching upon his government’s initiatives, he mentioned the establishment of regional secretariats using existing resources with the aim to improve governance and public service delivery at regional level.
Mr Gandapur stressed the importance of enhancing the country’s international credibility, which, he said, has been hampered by unfulfilled commitments to global institutions. This, he noted, deters foreign investment.
“We must work on improving our credibility to regain international trust,” he said.
Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2024
