ISLAMABAD: The prime minister handed the first fleet of 35 buses to Federal Directorate of Education run schools on Wednesday and directed the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) to complete the arrangements for purchasing 165 more buses this year.

Speaking at the ceremony for handing over the buses at the Islamabad Model College for Boys F-8, the prime minister directed CADD minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to start renovating all the educational institutes of Islamabad.

During the first phase of the Prime Minister`s Educational Reforms Programme, the CADD ministry had placed an order with a contractor for providing 70 buses by the end of this month of which 35 have been delivered.

According to a plan announced earlier, 130 more buses are to be purchased in the next financial year.

Having already upgraded 22 schools, CADD was to upgrade 200 schools this financial year and the remaining 200 the next year.

However, during the ceremony on Wednesday, the prime minister directed CADD to complete the renovation of all 400 remaining schools in the ongoing year and purchase the 130 more buses at the earliest as well.

He said the government wanted to ensure children are provided with the latest facilities and a good environment during their studies.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the government was focusing on providing children with a high standard education and the best facilities in educational institutes. He vowed that Islamabad will be made a model city in terms of education standards.

`Children should enjoy the learning experience in schools, and the government is working on making that happen,` he said.

During his speech, CADD Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the Pakistan of 2018 will be much better in terms of education and health.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif also spoke at the event and said the government is trying to bridge the gap between public and private schools in the country.

She said that other than improving the infrastructure, other facilities including libraries and IT labs will also be provided under the reforms programme.

The prime minister also cut a cake which was shaped like a bus and children were given rides on the new buses within the school premises.