A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Malik Liaqat Ali Khan, Adviser to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Zakat & Ushr, Social Welfare, Special Education and Women Empowerment, to review progress regarding the distribution of laptops among students with special educational needs. Secretary Social Welfare Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sharif Hussain, along with relevant officers of the Social Welfare Department, attended the meeting.
The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the distribution of laptops, selection of deserving students, eligibility and priority criteria, and the mechanism for distribution.
It was informed that these are not ordinary laptops; rather, they are specially designed laptops developed keeping in view the educational needs of persons with disabilities. The initiative aims to facilitate students with special educational needs in accessing education through modern technology.
The meeting decided that being a student would be a mandatory requirement for receiving a laptop. Priority for distribution would be given to students with special educational needs who are enrolled in institutions under the Special Education Department.
It was further clarified that if a particular institution does not have an eligible student meeting the prescribed criteria, the laptop would be provided to the next eligible student to ensure that the facility reaches a genuinely deserving student with special educational needs.
Adviser to the Chief Minister Malik Liaqat Ali Khan directed that merit, transparency and genuine need must be given primary importance in the distribution process, and that no negligence should be tolerated in the selection of deserving students.
The relevant authorities were also directed to take necessary measures for identifying deserving students, preparing lists and ensuring the timely distribution of laptops.
Malik Liaqat Ali Khan said that providing students with special educational needs access to modern technology is among the government’s priorities. He said such initiatives aim to improve educational opportunities for these students, enable them to benefit from modern technology and help them become more productive and integrated members of society.