The Government of Pakistan has expressed a strong commitment towards achieving MDGs and EFA goals reflecting its measures to improve education in not only the education sector reforms for 2001-04 but also through the National Education Policy (1998-2010), The Ten Year???s Perspective Development Plan (PDP) (2001-2011) and the National Plan of Action for Education for All 2000-2015. These focus on several issues notably Universal Primary Education, Improved Literacy Rate, and Higher Quality Education through Teachers Training, and Curriculum and Materials development and better opportunities of access to Secondary and Higher education with a particular emphasis on the Technical and Vocational Education.


Punjab Education Department

The province of Punjab having a population of 73.6m people,38.1 males and 35.5 females as per 1998 census, has promulgated compulsory Primary Education Ordinance and has launched a commendable programme for achieving the targets of Universal Primary Education throughout Punjab. The Punjab Education Department is geared under the administrative control of Secretary Education along with two Special Secretaries, Special Secretary (Schools) and Special Secretary (Higher Education) to assist him in bringing about the desirable change as envisaged in National Education
Policy1998-2010.

Functions

o Policy Issues

o Coordination with Federal Government

o Curriculum Development

o Textbooks Printing

o Foreign Scholarships

o Granting Charter to Private Institutions/ Universities

o Conferring degree awarding status to Institutions

o Establishment of new Universities/Institutions

o Granting of autonomy to Schools & Colleges.

o Teachers Training

o Preparation of Provincial Budget (Dev. & Non-Dev.)

o Implementation of Foreign Aided Projects.

o Approval of Provincial Development Schemes up to Rs. 100 Million.

o Administration of Autonomous Schools

o BISEs

o Public Libraries


Information Technology at Higher Level

EMIS Higher Education Data Base Development/Reporting and dissemination (HEMIS Higher Education Management Information System) Punjab EMIS Centre, Lahore. Computerization of Information on Colleges and Universities of general and professional education.

Use of computerized Higher Education Data Base Development Reporting and Dissemination- Punjab EMIS Centre.
Introducing Intermediate Level of Education in computer science in 148 Intermediate and Degree Colleges.
Introducing computer training courses in 164 Govt. Intermediate and Degree Colleges with proper computer training laboratory and training professional on public and private partnership basis.