Agencies urged to donate to NGOs via govt
LAHORE – Punjab Minister for Special Education Qudsia Lodhi has asked the donor agencies to extend donations to the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through the government so as to ensure transparency in use of funds.
While addressing a press conference here on Thursday she said the donor agencies, apart from extending donations to the institutions of formal educational, should also take special education sector into consideration.
To make the special children as effective citizens of the society, the provincial government has increased the ADP allocation from Rs 21 million in 2003-04 to Rs 400 million for the financial year 2004-05.
Special educational institutes have so far been established in 27 districts while the government has planned to expand its network at Tehsil level.
The special education department has sent Model PC-I to all the District Nazims so as to enable them to take steps regarding establishment of special education centres in their respective districts.
To a question, she said that out of over 1.6 million special children of school going age, 42,000 have been enrolled in the government institutions.
She further said that schemes regarding setting up of 10 audiological clinics, 2 physiotherapy units and 5 low vision centres have already been approved and work will start during the current financial year.
To strengthen the private-public partnership, an amount of Rs 6.7 million has been provided to special education centres being run by NGOs, she maintained.
The minister also said that hearing aids would be provided free of cost to the special children.
In order to facilitate the disabled students, 59 buses would be provided soon to the public sector institutions. Besides, government would spend Rs 15 million to provide free of cost uniform to the students getting special education, she added.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:10/1/2004
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