LAHORE - Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman has said that he was committed to bring about improvements in the higher education sector, defeat climate change and fight thalassemia in the province during his stint as constitutional head of the largest province of the country.
During a meeting with senior journalists from the print media at the Governor’s House here on Wednesday, he said he wished to introduce positive change in the higher education sector of the province as chancellor of the public sector universities and patron-in-chief of the private sector universities.
To a query, he said Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government must be credited for raising the Higher Education Commission (HEC) budget to 120 billion rupees from mere 35b rupees during its 2013-18 tenure, adding that this had increased the research in the universities. ‘It was regrettable that the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) had cut down the HEC budget’, he responded, adding that education is the key to the glorious future of the country.
On the environment, he said fighting climate change was the need of the hour and he had asked the vice-chancellors of the universities to introduce measures and strategies to fight the menace and free the country from the ill-effects of climate change. He said the universities have also been asked to work on measures to fight smog, adding that the Governor’s office will be dedicated to the cause. On the health sector, he said: “We must put up efforts to fight thalassemia in the province”, adding that a ceremony will be held at the Governor’s House in connection with the World Thalassemia day on June 14 at the Governor’ House.
Taking credit for the single curriculum of the PTI government, Baligh ur Rehman said that the spade work on the single curriculum was done by the federal education ministry during his tenure as federal education minister during the PML-N government in 2018, adding that he laid the foundation of transition form ‘knowledge intensive to value intensive’ curriculum. He said the new curriculum, which focused on inculcating character-building, social values and norms, had been introduced in the federal capital schools from class I-V during his tenure as federal minister. About the Danish School project of the then Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Governor Punjab said the project is a revolutionary one, adding that it provided an opportunity to the students from the marginalized classes of the society to get the best education at par with the elite schools of the province. He said the project has revolutionized the lives of these students from the poorest families.
Education, environment, thalassemia are my priorities; says Baligh-ur-Rehman
Fighting climate change need of the hour
“I have watched the project very closely since I worked as political assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab between 2013-18. Danish Schools provided the best education to these children and produced leaders from the far-flung, deprived areas of the province”, he responded to a query.
To a question, he said he, personally, stands for the Bahawalpur province but he toes the party-line for the South Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces, adding that creation of a new province required two-third majority in the parliament. He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has secured had secured the bill in the National Assembly but it could get it through in the Senate. On the efficacy of the South Punjab secretariat, Baligh ur Rehman said the South Punjab had not resolved people’s grievances in the South Punjab, adding that it was mere eyewash but improvements could be made to the system.
To a query, Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman said that he believed in redressal of people’s problems without undue delays, adding that he had heard appeals pending with the governor’s office for over a year.
He said he had instructed his staff to decide the appeals immediately, regretting the fact that his worthy predecessors had not spared time to decide appeals of the cases in time.
On the power crisis, Baligh ur Rehman said the PML-N government had overcome the power crisis on war-footing during its past tenure 2013-18, adding that the current coalition government will also be able to resolve the issue.
He said the coalition government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will not indulge in the blame game, adding that though the government is forced to take unpopular decisions but these will go a long way in improving plight of the common man.
On working relationship with the Speaker Punjab Assembly office, Governor Punjab said he had not heard from the Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Parvez Elahi yet.
About the success of the coalition government, he said the people have confidence in the PML-N government as it had delivered in the past, adding that the government will be successful in overcoming obstacles.
During a meeting with senior journalists from the print media at the Governor’s House here on Wednesday, he said he wished to introduce positive change in the higher education sector of the province as chancellor of the public sector universities and patron-in-chief of the private sector universities.
To a query, he said Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government must be credited for raising the Higher Education Commission (HEC) budget to 120 billion rupees from mere 35b rupees during its 2013-18 tenure, adding that this had increased the research in the universities. ‘It was regrettable that the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) had cut down the HEC budget’, he responded, adding that education is the key to the glorious future of the country.
On the environment, he said fighting climate change was the need of the hour and he had asked the vice-chancellors of the universities to introduce measures and strategies to fight the menace and free the country from the ill-effects of climate change. He said the universities have also been asked to work on measures to fight smog, adding that the Governor’s office will be dedicated to the cause. On the health sector, he said: “We must put up efforts to fight thalassemia in the province”, adding that a ceremony will be held at the Governor’s House in connection with the World Thalassemia day on June 14 at the Governor’ House.
Taking credit for the single curriculum of the PTI government, Baligh ur Rehman said that the spade work on the single curriculum was done by the federal education ministry during his tenure as federal education minister during the PML-N government in 2018, adding that he laid the foundation of transition form ‘knowledge intensive to value intensive’ curriculum. He said the new curriculum, which focused on inculcating character-building, social values and norms, had been introduced in the federal capital schools from class I-V during his tenure as federal minister. About the Danish School project of the then Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Governor Punjab said the project is a revolutionary one, adding that it provided an opportunity to the students from the marginalized classes of the society to get the best education at par with the elite schools of the province. He said the project has revolutionized the lives of these students from the poorest families.
Education, environment, thalassemia are my priorities; says Baligh-ur-Rehman
Fighting climate change need of the hour
“I have watched the project very closely since I worked as political assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab between 2013-18. Danish Schools provided the best education to these children and produced leaders from the far-flung, deprived areas of the province”, he responded to a query.
To a question, he said he, personally, stands for the Bahawalpur province but he toes the party-line for the South Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces, adding that creation of a new province required two-third majority in the parliament. He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has secured had secured the bill in the National Assembly but it could get it through in the Senate. On the efficacy of the South Punjab secretariat, Baligh ur Rehman said the South Punjab had not resolved people’s grievances in the South Punjab, adding that it was mere eyewash but improvements could be made to the system.
To a query, Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman said that he believed in redressal of people’s problems without undue delays, adding that he had heard appeals pending with the governor’s office for over a year.
He said he had instructed his staff to decide the appeals immediately, regretting the fact that his worthy predecessors had not spared time to decide appeals of the cases in time.
On the power crisis, Baligh ur Rehman said the PML-N government had overcome the power crisis on war-footing during its past tenure 2013-18, adding that the current coalition government will also be able to resolve the issue.
He said the coalition government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will not indulge in the blame game, adding that though the government is forced to take unpopular decisions but these will go a long way in improving plight of the common man.
On working relationship with the Speaker Punjab Assembly office, Governor Punjab said he had not heard from the Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Parvez Elahi yet.
About the success of the coalition government, he said the people have confidence in the PML-N government as it had delivered in the past, adding that the government will be successful in overcoming obstacles.