Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced the immediate closure of schools operating in unsafe and deteriorating buildings throughout the province. This decision is part of a larger initiative aimed at ensuring student safety and enhancing the infrastructure of the education sector.
The chief minister has instructed authorities to inspect all school buildings in Punjab and take prompt action to seal any that are structurally compromised. She also stressed the importance of maintaining cleanliness standards in schools to improve the overall quality of public education facilities.
During a recent meeting with lawmakers at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Muzaffargarh, Maryam Nawaz addressed public concerns about encroachments and inadequate sanitation in the city’s central areas, urging immediate measures to remove encroachments and enhance the cleanliness of public spaces.
Earlier in June, she directed the revival of 603 non-functional schools across the province as part of the Public Schools Reorganisation Programme, emphasizing the need to improve the education system in Punjab. She ordered a comprehensive mapping of schools to evaluate their requirements and facilities.
The chief minister also launched a Green School Programme, encouraging each student to plant at least one sapling and implementing digital mapping to monitor progress. To enhance educational quality, she called for the regularization of 14,000 assistant education officers (AEOs) and secondary school educators (SSEs) in Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz reviewed proposals to introduce spoken English and character-building classes in government schools and highlighted the necessity for weekly and monthly competitions in various fields to foster student engagement and development. Additionally, she announced plans to construct and rehabilitate 1,000 playgrounds within six months to provide better recreational facilities in government schools.
As part of efforts to improve students’ health and learning outcomes, the chief minister also initiated a pilot project for the Punjab School Nutrition Programme in Rajanpur, Layyah, and Bhakkar, set to begin in August.
