[🇵🇰] Punjab Developments

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Ring road Lahore City,

 

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The Punjab Government is poised to expand Lahore's metro train network with the introduction of the Blue and Purple Line Metro Train services, estimated at Rs14.5 trillion, representing a significant investment.

The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has submitted proposals for both projects, awaiting approval from the Punjab government to commence PC-1 formulation. Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, and her Cabinet were briefed on the project details.

The Purple Line, spanning 16 kilometers with 16 stations, aims to serve 250,000 commuters daily, while the Blue Line, covering 27 kilometers with 28 stations, targets around 400,000 daily commuters.

 

[Zahid]

Before Rescue 1122 we had no EMS in Punjab nor fire brigade service
Think of all the road accidents and properties they saved, they were game changers during the flood relief efforts
It was started in 2004 and by 2018 not only was this service available in all districts of Punjab in some capacity but they were also training other provinces and countries due to their high professional standards
There's more to write here with the healthcard program, expansion of PHC unit program- all of these interventions had a direct impact from the lows of 80s,90s due to the expansion of our healthcare network through public private partnership in the 2000s and most of 2010s

All of it is here - look through it if you want - but you see Crazy % of catching up in the 2000s in almost every health metric from where we were before Elahi, Shehbaz times (from 70s,80s,90s our government really didn't give a crap if we truly look at the data)- as a sample example our child vaccination in the 90s was 35% now its at 80%, in the 90s only 13% of the women delivered babies at a health facilities now ⅔ women use a health care facility as our healthcare infrastructure has expanded a lot after the 2000s due to PPP model, there's more but its just to illustrate the larger point

Education from 2000 to 2018 (wont post everything just the more important parts, to not make it boring)
[H3]Bringing 13 million more children into school: Lessons from Punjab[/H3]
Well, upon reflection, the reality is much more mixed when we consider the challenge of population growth.

Source: Authors estimations based on population censuses and household surveys (PSLM, HIES, DHS)

Case in point is the Punjab province, which contains over half of Pakistan’s growing population. Combining census data with household surveys, Punjab expanded schooling from 13 million students in 1998 to 26 million students by 2020 over the last 20 years, effectively doubling the number of children aged 6-15 in school . Household surveys show an increase in the share of children enrolled by about 19 percentage points.
…

Source: Authors estimations based on population censuses and household surveys (PSLM, HIES, DHS)
Remarkably, the growth is largest for girls, with an estimated 24 percentage point increase in enrolment --versus 15 percentage points for boys. In other words, Punjab is quickly developing down the path of modernization.
Punjab followed randomized evidence, using data to track progress….
First, at the heart of these series of reforms was sustained political leadership and commitment to education. The Government of Punjab placed school access at the center of the education policy and in 2003, made education free for all at the point of access. This meant that students didn’t pay tuition and received free textbooks.
The Government of Punjab also made institutional changes, creating a monitoring and implementation arm that was independent from the education bureaucracy and devolving financing to district governments through performance-linked budgeting.

Second, Punjab has made strategic financial investments in programs that were shown to work.
…. The province also provided conditional cash transfers for girls’ education and expanded school participation for girls regularly attending schooling from grades 6-10. This program increased middle school enrollment for girls by 10 percentage points in just two years from 2003 to 2005, increased completion rates by 4.5 percent,... the province also used budgetary support to scale a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model across the province to provide schooling to about 2.5 million students… Third, the government actively reached out to parents and households through a school council mobilization program.
An evaluation of the program found that home tuition need in Peshawar for 13 million additional children is no small feat. To illustrate, this is the size of a schooling population of an average middle-sized country (Vietnam’s schooling population is about 14 million students, Germany’s is about 12 million children). In other words, the Punjab province now provides new learning opportunities to a cohort that’s equivalent to a major countries’ entire student population! Not for nothing has the Punjab’s reform program been described as having been the
[H3]Pakistan is home to the most frenetic education reforms in the world[/H3]
[H3]Reformers are trying to make up for generations of neglect[/H3]

In April 2016, as part of its latest scheme, private providers took over the running of 1,000 of the government’s primary schools. Today the number is 4,300. By the end of this year, Mr Sharif has decreed, it will be 10,000. … Leaders of struggling districts are called to Lahore for what Allah Bakhsh Malik, Punjab’s education secretary, calls a “pep talk”. Asked what that entails, he responds: “Four words: F-I-R-E. It is survival of the fittest.” About 30% of district heads have been sacked for poor results in the past nine months, says Mr Malik. “We are working at Punjabi speed.”... The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), another quasi-independent body, oversees some of the largest school-privatisation and school-voucher programmes in the world. It has a seat with the ministers and administrators at Mr Sharif’s quarterly meetings. The Punjab government no longer opens new schools; all growth is via these privately operated schools. Schools overseen by PEF now teach more than 3m children (an additional 11m or so in government schools)
…. The latest stocktake claimed an “unprecedented” 10% increase in primary-school enrolment since September 2016, an extra 68,000 teachers selected “on merit”, and a steady increase in the share of correct answers on a biannual test of literacy and numeracy.

We are one of the few provinces where literacy rate is almost stagnant since 2018
In 2023 our literacy increased from 66.01 to 66.3 ONLY .02% increase
Our literacy rate in 2017 was 64.7% -so in 5-6 years we only increased by 1.6%!

2015-2018 % increase in literacy rate alone was around 3%, if you take it back to ‘98 it was around 46%- In 2018 around 65%
In those 2 decades our yearly % increase was around 1% or .95% specifically (by sheer numbers it was a lot but due to our high TFR especially back then, % wise it doesn't look as good) - but from 2018-2023 - overall cumulative total was just 1.6%.

### Comment on the Need for Home Tuition in Peshawar: Addressing Educational Stagnation

The trajectory of educational reforms in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, has been marked by ambitious programs aimed at increasing enrollment and improving educational outcomes. From the elimination of tuition fees and provision of free textbooks to the introduction of conditional cash transfers for girls and the expansion of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Punjab has been at the forefront of these efforts. Despite these reforms, the literacy rate in Punjab has stagnated since 2018, with a mere 0.02% increase in 2023, highlighting a significant challenge in sustaining educational progress.

This stagnation in literacy growth is a cause for concern and points to the need for innovative solutions to enhance educational outcomes, particularly in regions where traditional educational reforms have not yielded the desired results. One such solution is the increased emphasis on home tuition, especially in areas like Peshawar, where educational challenges are exacerbated by socio-economic and cultural factors.

The Government of Punjab's efforts to modernize education have been remarkable in many respects. The province made education free at the point of access in 2003, eliminated tuition fees, and provided free textbooks to students. Institutional reforms, such as the creation of a monitoring and implementation arm independent of the education bureaucracy and the introduction of performance-linked budgeting at the district level, further strengthened the education system.

Punjab also invested strategically in programs that were proven to work, such as conditional cash transfers for girls’ education. This initiative led to a 10-percentage-point increase in middle school enrollment for girls within just two years, from 2003 to 2005. Moreover, the province expanded school participation through Public-Private Partnerships, providing schooling to approximately 2.5 million students. These efforts contributed to a significant increase in student enrollment, with girls' enrollment increasing by 12.4% due to targeted outreach programs.

However, despite these efforts, the literacy rate in Punjab has seen minimal growth in recent years. Between 2018 and 2023, the literacy rate increased by only 1.6%, a stark contrast to the 3% increase observed between 2015 and 2018. This stagnation suggests that while access to education has improved, the quality and effectiveness of education may not have kept pace. It also raises concerns about the sustainability of the reforms and the ability of the education system to adapt to new challenges.

In light of the stagnation in literacy growth in Punjab, it is crucial to explore alternative approaches to enhance educational outcomes. One such approach is the promotion of home tuition, particularly in regions like Peshawar, where the traditional education system faces significant challenges.

Peshawar, like many other cities in Pakistan, has a complex socio-cultural landscape that affects access to education. Issues such as security concerns, cultural norms, and economic disparities often limit children's access to quality education. In this context, home tuition offers a viable solution to bridge the gap between students and quality education.

Home tuition provides personalized and flexible learning opportunities that are tailored to the specific needs of each student. It allows students to receive one-on-one attention, which is often lacking in overcrowded classrooms. This personalized approach can help address individual learning gaps, reinforce understanding of complex concepts, and build confidence in students. Moreover, home tuition can be particularly beneficial for girls, who may face cultural restrictions that limit their access to formal schooling. By bringing education into the home, parents can ensure that their daughters receive the education they need without compromising on cultural values.

The stagnation in literacy growth in Punjab underscores the need for targeted interventions to improve educational outcomes. Home tuition can play a critical role in addressing the gaps that remain despite broader educational reforms. For instance, while Punjab's reforms have increased enrollment, they may not have adequately addressed issues such as teacher quality, curriculum relevance, and student engagement—all of which are crucial for improving literacy and learning outcomes.

In Peshawar, where similar challenges exist, home tuition can complement formal education by providing students with the additional support they need to succeed. This is particularly important in subjects like mathematics, science, and languages, where students often struggle due to inadequate instruction in schools. By working with qualified home tutors, students can receive focused instruction that caters to their individual needs, helping them overcome learning barriers and achieve academic success.

Furthermore, home tuition can play a crucial role in preparing students for competitive exams, such as the matriculation and intermediate exams, which are critical for their future academic and professional success. In a competitive environment where exam results often determine a student's future opportunities, the support provided by home tuition can make a significant difference in a student's performance.

The stagnation in literacy growth in Punjab highlights the need for innovative solutions to improve educational outcomes in Pakistan. While traditional reforms have made significant strides in increasing access to education, they have not fully addressed the challenges of quality and effectiveness. In regions like Peshawar, where socio-economic and cultural factors further complicate access to education, home tuition offers a viable solution to bridge the gap.

By providing personalized and flexible learning opportunities, home tuition can help students overcome learning barriers, improve academic performance, and achieve their full potential. As Pakistan continues to strive for educational excellence, it is crucial to recognize the role that home tuition can play in supporting students and ensuring that no child is left behind in the pursuit of education.

 

[Ghazi52]

Two hospitals near completion in Pindi​

Construction of both hospitals ends; procurement of medical equipment underway

Correspondent
September 15, 2024

RAWALPINDI: Two major hospitals, one located near Rawat and the other at Jorian Chakri in Rawalpindi district, are nearing completion.

These hospitals, initiated during the previous government, have now reached their final stages of development, with preparations underway for their operational launch.

The Rawat Pothohar Town Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, designed to accommodate 100 beds, and the Jorian Chakri Road Hospital, with a capacity of 60 beds, together have an estimated cost exceeding Rs1.4 billion.

Construction of both hospital buildings has been completed, and the procurement process for medical equipment is underway. Final finishing touches are expected to begin next month. The foundation stone for these projects was laid by former federal minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.

 

[Ghazi52]

Layyah Hospital

 

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital in Lahore.

“We are committed to the treatment and care of cancer patients. We are doing our best to provide free and quality treatment to every cancer patient. A special center for cancer treatment will be established in every district of Punjab

 

[Ghazi52]

For the first time in Pakistan’s history, hybrid double-decker buses are being introduced!

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif officially inaugurated 5 new hybrid double-decker buses, which will operate on new tourism routes in Lahore.