Minister urges UN member states to contribute to Malala Fund Listen
Islamabad: Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Muhammad Balighur Rehman urged the UN member states to contribute to the Unesco Malala Fund for the cause of girls education.
"Special focus on girls education has led to the reduction of gender disparity. The Unesco Malala Fund which Pakistan helped create by donating $10 million to Unesco is a step for the cause of girls education. Other UN member states should generously contribute to this fund to further this cause globally," he told the 39th Unesco General Conference at the Unesco headquarters in Paris.
The minister said Pakistan was committed to continuing working with the Unesco and the international community for global peace and development.
He said Pakistan had won the war against terrorism by dismantling their network, choking their funding and bringing them to justice.
"The ensuing peace in the country has allowed the government to focus on education which is pivotal to the development of human society," he said.
The minister said Pakistan had doubled education budgetary allocations and that improved fiscal space had helped increase the gross enrolment rate in primary schools, high transition rates, provision of missing facilities, effective teacher training programs and thus, leading to the overall improvement in the quality of education in the country.
He later held a meeting with outgoing director general of Unesco Irina Bokova and thanked her for her special interest and focus in promoting education in Pakistan.
He also met France's Audrey AZOULAY, who has been designated the director general of the Uneso, and conveyed her, the best wishes for future endeavours to further strengthen the Unesco.
The minister earlier held meetings with Turkish counterpart Ismet Yilmaz and Norwegian Minister for Education and Research Henrik Ashim and participated in a high-level ministerial event on 'global competencies and global citizenship education' at the UNESCO headquarters.
He also had an interaction with members of Pakistani community and media at the embassy.
