ISLAMABAD: Finally, the education ministry has started focusing on institutions in the rural areas, carrying out their face lift and ensuring provision of new facilities. According to the ministry, renovation work would be completed in 83 schools of the rural areas by the end of the current fiscal year. Education Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said work on institutions in the rural areas had started several months back. “Work being carried out in the urban areas had caught the attention of lawmakers and other stakeholders, which was why many people thought that we were focusing on the city schools only,” Mr Wani said, adding that new libraries and computer labs were being established in rural area schools. “Once work in completed in the rural areas, there will be almost no difference between schools located in the urban and rural areas,” he said. Under the face lift, civil and electrical works, repairs and construction of new classrooms were being undertaken while new furniture was being provided to schools that lacked it. “We are also providing free meals to students as well,” the secretary said. During a visit to five schools of the rural areas, Dawn noticed that the institutions had gotten a makeover with fresh paint, motivational portraits, new libraries and state-of-the-art computer labs. “It gives me a very special feeling to sit in this computer lab,” said Mughees Ali, a student of Kuri School, who was attending a lecture in the lab on a digital screen. Another student, Hamza Akbar, said a new library and computer lab in his school had made all students happy. Meanwhile, during a visit to a primary girls school, it was noticed that digital screen and laptops were something new for many students. One of the students, when asked about a laptop lying in front of her, could not identify the device, which showed that students from the rural areas lacked knowledge about the latest equipment. “We are setting up state-of-the art computer labs for the first time. I am hopeful that within a few years, these schools will beat the best private schools as well. We have purpose-built buildings and good facilities,” said Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Director General Syed Junaid Akhlaq. Meanwhile, Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said the ministry in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) was going to provide 150 computer teachers to schools of the rural areas within a few days. Similarly, he said 90 new teachers would also join rural area schools as the hiring process was in its final stage. He said this year, the rural schools had already been provided a numbers of new teachers. “Work on solarisation of 50 rural schools is also in progress to enable them to get uninterrupted electricity supply, which was essential for computer labs,” he said. It is relevant to note here that under the Rs7 billion project, the education ministry had uplifted around 170 schools and provided new facilities. Offices of area education officers will also be face-lifted. However, the education secretary said instead of spending money on the area education offices, funds should be utilised for schools. “I had directed the officials concerned that only urgent work should be carried out in area education offices as we are targeting renovation/facelift of 200 schools instead of 170,” he said. Recently, the issue of shortage of basic facilities in rural areas was also highlighted by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education, which formed a subcommittee that would visit schools.