News-16 Jan 13: PAKISTAN LAUNCHES EDUCATION PLAN FOR CHILDREN WITH FOCUS ON GIRLS

PAKISTAN LAUNCHES EDUCATION PLAN FOR CHILDREN WITH FOCUS ON GIRLS

 

As the world heeded to U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown's call to observe November 10 as 'Global Action Day for Malala Yousufzai', Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari warned that attack on Ms. Yousufzai was an attack on the future of the region as a whole, as the terrorists would not stop at Pakistan to show Pakistan's commitment to Ms.  Yousufzai's dream of educating the 32 million out-of-school girls across the world, the federal government launched the Waseela e-Taleem programme to educate three million children, especially girls, from the poorest of poor families. Mr. Zardari said the programme seeks to reinforce the idea that Ms. Yousufzai represents.

 

"The more the militants strike, the more we will rebound with determination, defiance and courage. Let there be no doubt or mistake about it."

According to the President, the observance of Malala Day by the international community was a demonstration of the realisation that the attackers of Ms. Yousufzai would not stop at Pakistan and would threaten the whole world. "Malala has transcended from an individual to an idea," he added.

 

Meanwhile, an online petition started in Canada to mobilise  support  across  the  world  to nominate Ms. Yousufzai for the Nobel Peace Prize gathered momentum and now has over a lakh signatories including Ministers from different countries.

It may be recalled that Ms. Yousufzai was shot at and grievously injured by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan on October 9, 2012 while on her way back from school in Mingora in Swat Valley.

15 'Malala Scholarships' in Pak College from Women

 

In a move to acknowledge the efforts of 15-year-old Taliban victim Malala Yousufzai who promoted female education in Pakistan's Swat Valley, a women's college in Lahore has

decided to award the 'Malala Yousufzai Scholarship' every year to 15 students. "The 15 scholarships will be awarded on the request of the Student Council. 10 scholarships will be for four-year BS programme and five for the MS-PhD programme." Sabiha Mansoor, Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women (University (LCVVU), said, to a Pakistani daily.

 

November 10 to be Celebrated as Malala Day : UN United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has announced that November 10, 2012, will be celebrated as Malala Day the world over, as it marks the 30-day anniversary of the Taliban attack on the 15-year-old education campaigner from Pakistan.

On November 9, 2012 the UN special envoy for global education visited Pakistan and presented President Asif All Zardari with a petition signed by over one million people asking that he make girls' education a reality in Pakistan.

Ki-Moon hoped that observing Malala day will build on the momentum of UN's Education First initiative and show that education is a right of everyone, and not a privilege for a few.

Pak Teen Grateful for Global Support

Malala, the teenager being treated in Britain for gunshot wounds inflicted by the Taliban in Pakistan, on November 9, 2012 thanked her global supporters, one month on from the brutal attack.

"She wants me to tell everyone how grateful she is and is amazed that men, women and children from across the world are interested in her well-being," s'd her father Ziauddin Yousufzai, on behalf of the 15-year-old

"We deeply feel the heart-touching good wishes of the people across the world of all castes, colour and creed," he said in a statement issued by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where Malala is being treated.

He added, "I am awfully thankful to all the peace-loving well-wishers who strongly condemn the assassination attempt on Malala, who pray for her health and support the grand cause of peace, education, freedom of thought and freedom of expression."