Education Minister assures students to help them return to China

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain has assured the Pakistani students that they will be able to rejoin studies in China soon.

In a meeting with a delegation of Pakistani students here, the minister promised to resolve the matter at the earliest.

The students had returned from China in the middle of their studies after the Covid-19 outbreak some two years ago and since then they were unable to rejoin their educational institutes in China due to certain restrictions.

During the meeting, representatives of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Higher Education Commission (HEC), Aviation Division and senior officers of the ministry were in attendance.

Representatives from MoFA informed that in the 1st phase, China had given a list of 251 students to Pakistan, out of which 60 percent students had been successfully reached out.

The minister directed the HEC to use all resources in reaching out to students who were not being contacted before and also to set up an effective coordination mechanism among all stakeholders for getting necessary details.

While considering the financial constraints of the students, Rana Tanveer directed the authorities of education ministry for working out a mechanism, whereby, the government will assist the students by sharing the related costs involved.

He also directed Pakistan’s Education Attaché to Beijing for playing a central coordinating role and to rigorously follow-up with Chinese authorities in the best interest of Pakistani students.

Due to zero Covid-19 tolerance policy of China’s government, the air space for regular flights, and option of road travel are restricted.

The minister reiterated that education was the highest priority of the present government and assured the students of resolving their problems on war footing basis and that they will be assisted in every possible way.