Islamabad: The government in Pakistan’s Punjab province has announced ambitious plans to streamline its education system and provide equal opportunities to children of the “haves” and the “have-nots”.

The provincial government has launched the new education policy under the title of ‘The New Deal.’

The new educational policy will target all 28 million children of schoolgoing age in the province — encompassing both those enrolled in institutions and those who are out of school.

The salient features of the policy are ‘Insaf Afternoon Schools’ programme, which aims to provide education for out-of-school children; the revival of Urdu language as the medium of instruction; and limiting the scope of English by restricting it to a subject not the medium of education.

All these “revolutionary steps” will be taken up to primary level education in the province, officials said.

“Our national language could be an effective means of communication, and therefore primary level education will be imparted in Urdu, while English will be taught as a subject under The New Deal,” Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said, while unveiling the new education policy of the Schools Education Department entitled “The New Deal 2018-23” at a ceremony.

Modern trends like science and technology, engineering, arts and mathematics will be introduced at the middle level.

He announced plans to make necessary amendments to the Special Act for Free and Compulsory Education and credited the PTI central government with the step of incorporating Iqbal Studies in syllabus.

“The new education policy will help eliminate the segregated system of education and there would be no discrimination between students of elite private schools, small and medium-scale private institutions and the government schools,” he said.

According to sources, under the new policy, children will be educated in accordance with ideology and culture.

“This is the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, that our youth could learn about their socio-cultural responsibilities, to emerge as the useful citizens of society,” the sources said.

Special emphasis has been laid on equal facilities under the new education policy and qualified teachers will be provided to reach every child.

A number of projects are also being introduced to improve the capacity of teachers so that they could better educate the students.

“We need good teachers to develop the best nation,” the sources said.

The Punjab government has also launched an integrated management information system within the Schools Education Department.

After the launch of the new policy, every child will feel proud of being a Pakistani and students will be able to act as a useful citizen of the society, a handout of the provincial government says.

“‘The new deal 2018-23’ will revolutionise the education sector in Punjab and the province takes lead in introducing these drastic measures,” said an official of the education ministry of the province.

“A committee will also be set up to complete the steps taken for achieving the desired objectives and I will monitor the progress made thereof,” he added.