Islamabad (The COW News Digital) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the immediate implementation of comprehensive reforms in government schools across Islamabad, focusing on infrastructure, curriculum improvements, teacher training, student transportation, healthcare and nutrition.
The directives were issued during a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister to review the condition of government schools in the federal capital. Sharif instructed Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal to address the problems facing Islamabad’s public schools within one week.
The prime minister emphasized that providing students with a safe and supportive learning environment was the government’s responsibility. He ordered authorities to mobilize all available resources to resolve infrastructure-related issues on an emergency basis and ensure that smart boards were installed in schools as soon as possible.
Sharif directed the authorities to develop a strategy for transforming the Federal Directorate of Education into a more effective and efficient institution. He stressed that teachers in government schools must be recruited strictly on merit to improve the quality of education and strengthen public confidence in the education system.
The prime minister also instructed that teachers should focus exclusively on teaching and educational responsibilities rather than being assigned unrelated activities. The measures are intended to improve classroom performance and ensure that students receive greater attention from qualified teaching staff.
Student transportation was another key area discussed during the meeting. Sharif ordered the expansion of government school bus services and called for the outsourcing of bus operations, alongside third-party validation to assess service delivery and accountability.
According to a survey report presented at the meeting, 278 government buses are currently operating to facilitate the transportation of students attending public schools in Islamabad.
The prime minister also directed authorities to install ramps in all government schools to improve accessibility for students with physical disabilities. He emphasized the need to provide quality medical facilities in public schools to safeguard students’ health and well-being.
Addressing students’ nutritional needs, Sharif instructed officials to activate a free lunch programme in Islamabad’s government schools. The initiative is intended to support students’ nutritional development and contribute to a healthier learning environment.
He also called for greater use of solar energy in public schools, highlighting the importance of promoting renewable energy within educational institutions.
The meeting reviewed a survey report covering curriculum, infrastructure and other operational challenges in the federal capital’s government schools. The findings were presented to help authorities identify shortcomings and prioritize corrective measures.
The prime minister’s directives cover several aspects of public education, including school facilities, teaching standards, student safety, transportation, accessibility and nutrition. The one-week deadline given to Ahsan Iqbal to address school-related problems places immediate responsibility on the relevant authorities to identify and resolve outstanding issues.
The proposed measures will require coordination among education officials, school administrations and other government departments to ensure effective implementation.
The success of the reform drive will depend on timely execution, adequate resources and consistent monitoring of progress. Authorities will need to address existing infrastructure gaps while ensuring that improvements in transportation, teaching quality and student welfare translate into practical benefits for children attending government schools.
The initiative signals a renewed focus on improving educational facilities in Islamabad’s public sector. However, the impact of the directives will ultimately be determined by how effectively the announced measures are implemented across the capital’s government schools.
