NAROWAL/ LAHORE: PML-N Deputy Secretary General and former education minister, Ahsan Iqbal said that ASER Pakistan has done commendable job in reflecting standard of education at grass root level.

Mr. Iqbal was speaking at the ASER Survey 2012 data verification activity in Narrowal District (Talwandi Bhindran) on Sunday. DG NCHD (National Commission for Human Development) Khusro Pervaiz, ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) Program Manager Safyan Jabbar and Regional Manager ITA Waqas Bajwa and local community members were also present on the occasion. Iqbal overviewed ASER activity in the District and directly interacted with volunteers and master trainers participating in the survey phase.

He said that education must be the first priority of any nation which wants to succeed. He added that Idara-e-Taleem-O-Aagahi (ITA)’s efforts must be complimented in the ASER survey 2012 for choosing Narowal district as an ASER survey district. He urged all parliamentarians to fully support and cooperate ASER survey teams in the respective areas and take action according to the findings of the eventual ASER 2012 report. He added that such a support is crucial for increasing quality and standard of education in Pakistan.

Mr. Iqbal pointed out that community members play a very important role in creating awareness about quality education. He said the community members must be mobilized to point out the problems and issues in the education sector and government will take action accordingly.

DG NCHD and Ex-Commissioner Lahore, Khusro Pervaiz said there is a dearth of science teachers in Narowal and approximately 1300 students enrolled from class 6 to 10 do not have a specialist science teacher assigned for them. Mr. Pervaiz said centralization in education needs to be curbed and district education model is going to be implemented across Punjab which would solve all education related issues.

Ahsan Iqbal also visited households of Talwandi Bhindran and monitored ASER survey in the district.  This activity is the precursor to the nationwide advocacy movement with ASER (Annual Status for Education Report) 2012 mapping child literacy levels across over 135 districts in Pakistan.