Media Release: New Study demands Education Voucher Scheme be expanded to other districts

Punjab Education Foundation’s Education Voucher Scheme in Lahore benefiting disadvantaged families

Lahore November 7, 2009: An independent study of the Education Voucher Scheme conceived and implemented by Punjab Education Foundation in under-developed areas of Lahore shows that Milton Friedman’s idea of education voucher has been picked up and applied in its true spirit, and finds the Scheme satisfactorily working and producing desired results in Pakistan. 

The report Liberate to Learn: A Study of the Education Voucher Scheme in Lahore was released here in Lahore today on November 7, 2009. On this occasion, the author of the Report, Ali Salman said, “It is an innovative and path-breaking research.” Dr. Khalil Ahmad, Executive Director of the Institute, pointed out, “It is the first ever such a study of the Education Voucher Scheme (EVS) conducted by the Alternate Solutions Institute, a non-profit, non-governmental educational and research organization. The findings of the Study are positive and generally endorse the EVS.”

However, despite all that is good about the Lahore EVS, the present Study notes that the Scheme has not been expanded as it could and should have been, and for the last 15 or so months the number of students benefiting from the scheme remains the same. This requires that the Scheme be urgently expanded to other cities where the disadvantaged people really need it.

We at the Institute hope that this Study will be taken in earnest both by the Federal and Provincial governments, especially the government of Punjab, and private sector, and the scope of education vouchers will be extended to the disadvantaged people throughout Pakistan.

Also, we hope that this Study will inspire the philanthropists to come forward to take up the provision of education voucher and spread it to wherever it is urgently needed.

Let us join hands to liberate the disadvantaged people to learn!

Title of the book: Liberate to Learn: A Study of the Education Voucher Scheme in Lahore

Author: Ali Salman

First edition: November 2009

Pages: 70

Price: Rs.150

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Email address: info@asinstitute.org

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