Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said that student community is our asset and we will provide every kind of facility to students of Non-Formal Basic Education Department Punjab for their grooming; he said this while talking to media at the MoU signing ceremony between Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Punjab at Punjab Stadium on Tuesday. Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti and Punjab Minister for Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Raja Rashid Hafeez were guests of honour on this occasion. Secretary Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab Ehsan Bhutta and Secretary Non-Formal Basic Education Department Sumaira Samad signed the MoU at Punjab Stadium in the presence of large number of media personnel. Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, Punjab Minister for Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Raja Rashid Hafeez, Secretary Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Secretary Non-Formal Basic Education Department Sumaira Samad and Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh also travelled with young students at TDCP bus for some time. The young students exhibited great excitement and chanted slogans ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ while traveling at TDCP Bus. Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh, JICA AQAL representative Kayoko Enomoto, Managing Director Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) Tanveer Jabbar, Additional Secretary YASAT Iftikhar Ali, Deputy Secretary Sports Tasneem Ahmed, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti and other officials of both the departments were also present on this occasion. Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said under the MoU, Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archeology and Tourism Punjab will provide every facility to neglected students of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Punjab for sightseeing of Punjab’s archaeological, cultural heritage and other attractive tourist places. “Besides this we will also chalk out the annual sports programme for the students of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department. We will start our journey from Sheikhupura and after that the students of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department will be taken to other parts of Punjab province”. “Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab will lend necessary cooperation for evolving special course to train teachers of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department. Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab will also send resource person for the training purpose of teachers”. Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti said Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism will also collaborate with all departments for the wellbeing of youth of the province. “Our sports infrastructure and other facilities are available for the students of Literacy and NonFormal Basic Education Department,” he maintained. Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti further said: “Punjab has great cultural heritage and we want that students of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department should also get an opportunity to observe our significant historic buildings etc”. Punjab Minister for Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Raja Rashid Hafeez, on this occasion said Punjab’s all departments are collaborating for the wellbeing of youth under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. “This MoU is a great initiative for the welfare of neglected and oppressed students of the province. The students of one-room schools have never imagined to take part in such informative and healthy sports activities”. Punjab Minister for Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Raja Rashid Hafeez said this collaboration is just a beginning and we will see its great results in near future. He also thanked JICA and other departments for their constructive role in this initiative. Earlier, Secretary Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab Ehsan Bhutta in his welcome address said Department of Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Punjab has decided to collaborate with other departments for making true progress instead of taking solo flight. “It’s challenging time and we can meet challenges of modern era through proper collaboration with other departments”. Secretary Non-Formal Basic Education Department Sumaira Samad, on this occasion said: “It’s nice MoU for the benefit of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department students who could not get education in top educational institutions due to lack of resources”. Answering a question, Secretary Non-Formal Basic Education Department Sumaira Samad informed that right now there are over 13,000 students being educated at schools of Non-Formal Basic Education Department.
