PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP) Provincial Minister for Elementary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai has said that all systems of the Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation would be digitised to further improve the monitoring and attendance system of the Elementary Education Foundation.
The digitisation of all systems of attendance and review of district offices and schools, including teachers and students, will further improve the monitoring system. He said that the establishment of community schools was the need of the hour, through which out-of-school and drop-out could be controlled on an emergency basis.
He said that people from backwards and education-deprived areas were benefiting in large numbers from the ongoing programs of the foundation, including girls’ education. He directed the authorities to immediately resolve the issues of the teachers’ salaries at the foundation and try to get immediate approval from the Finance Department to bring the salaries of the teachers up to the minimum wage. He directed that the foundation should have minimal dependence on grants and work on a business model for the improvement of the foundation so that the foundation becomes self-sufficient.
He also directed that new and old schemes, including all systems and inventories, be digitised, and a five-year plan for the foundation should be immediately formulated, as well as donor mapping and a donors’ conference should be immediately organised in which all stakeholders should be invited.
He expressed these views while chairing the Board of Governors meeting of the Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation. The meeting was attended by members of the Board of Governors, including the Managing Director of the foundation, Qaiser Alam.
The meeting approved the budget for the financial year 2025-26 after a detailed discussion on the previous board meeting No. 35, while the board also approved the Revised Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation Draft Act, which will then be approved after being presented in the relevant forum.
Managing Director Qaiser Alam informed the board that service rules, END rules, conduct rules and financial rules are also being prepared for the employees of the foundation, which are being worked on. The Education Minister directed that any corrections required in the rules should be made immediately, and work according to the timeline so that they can be presented again in the same cabinet meeting.
The recommendations of the Finance and Investment Committee were also presented to the board. The Board of Governors directed to set up an Investment Committee under the chairmanship of Board Member Asif Khan, which will present suggestions to the board.
Briefing the board on the recent performance, Qaiser Alam, Managing Director of the Foundation, said that the Foundation has admitted 58,000 children to schools this year. A digital hub has been created and digital apps have also been created for the convenience of teachers, parents and students. A payroll system and an inventory management system have been introduced for employees.
The Board approved the launch of the Foundation’s scholarship program for talented students and also approved the provision of equal facilities for special needs in the Foundation’s schools. In addition, the Board also approved the provision of internship opportunities in the Foundation to students who have graduated from universities and colleges. The Board also approved the launch of the Virtual School Education Program. Which will be a part of the ongoing program, Poha and the students will have access to a teacher at all times. Along with this, the board also approved the launch of a broadcast education program through radio for which technical assistance from the Information and Public Relations Department will be sought.
Managing Director Qaiser Alam told the board that the foundation has recently conducted an assessment of teachers and students, the results of which are positive and excellent. Education Minister Faisal Khan Tarakai directed that the assessment of teachers and students is very important, and for this, timely steps should be taken next year to identify weak districts and weak teachers. Modern training should be organised for teachers, and special attention should be paid to weak districts, and the District Performance Court Card program should be started in these districts.
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