Bushra Anjum Butt convenes inaugural meeting of Senate Committee, emphasizes collaborative approach across Educational Sectors

ISLAMABAD, July 02 (SABAH): Senator Bushra Anjum Butt on Tuesday chaired the inaugural meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training at Parliament House.

The primary agenda of the session was to receive a comprehensive briefing on the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and invited all relevant stakeholders on the floor for brief introduction.

Senators Ashraf Ali Jatoi, Syed Masroor Ahsan, Falak Naz, Fawzia Arshad, Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui, Kamran Murtaza, and Senator Khalida Ateeb were in attendance.

The meeting was also attended by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Education, along with the Chairmen of HEC and the National Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen WA Khatamun Nabiyyin Authority, and senior representatives from Directorate General of Religion Education, National Commission for Human Resource Development, National Book Foundation and other allied depatments were also in attendence

The Secretary of the Ministry of Education delivered a detailed presentation on the ministry’s operations, highlighting recent initiatives aimed at enhancing the country’s education sector.

Chairman Committee, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts and resource sharing, particularly in line with the Prime Minister’s Initiative 2024-27 focusing on youth skills development for industrial productivity, global IT competence, and initiatives catering to domestic and overseas job markets. She proposed separate meetings with each department to address specific challenges and formulate effective resolutions.

Responding to concerns raised by committee members, Senator Butt assured a detailed session with HEC on matters concerning student difficulties, age limits constraints , and admissions processes. The committee also resolved to conduct on-site visits as necessary to assess the ground realities of educational institutions and their maintenance.

The committee was briefed on plans to establish 66 state-of-the-art Digital Hubs in urban and rural schools by July 30th, as well as the introduction of Smart Classrooms equipped with AI tools to enhance teacher productivity. Furthermore, plans were outlined to equip 250 schools with smart classrooms featuring chromebooks, laptops, desktops, robotic labs, solar systems, and UPS.

Regarding assessments, it was highlighted that AI-based systems have been enhanced for matric and intermediate levels to ensure consistent and quality evaluation. Senator Butt inquired about the effectiveness of AI assessments for students accustomed to traditional rote learning methods, to which it was explained that the system is trained on a database of 300,000 answers and continually updates itself.

Additionally, plans were detailed for the solarization of 100 schools (75 rural, 25 urban) by year-end, alongside enhanced administrative and financial powers for school principals, coupled with training on PPRA regulations.

The committee was informed of the successful validation of 47,400 applicants against 237 posts of EST (BS-14) in FDE, with AI-based tests conducted by FBISe and results announced within two days. The recruitment process, overseen by four committees, ensures transparency and compliance with the Prime Minister’s directives against nepotism.

Concerning inclusive education, discussions are underway to review policies, including the elimination of the B form requirement, identified as a barrier for underprivileged communities.

Senator Butt also raised concerns about rising drug abuse among youth and their mental health, prompting initiatives such as a national health helpline and dedicated mental health centers for students to mitigate these issues.

Lastly, Senator Butt discussed with the Chairman of the National Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen WA Khatamun Nabiyyin Authority the challenges faced by minorities, particularly the increasing cases of blasphemy, proposing a detailed meeting to address these issues.