3.9m out-of-school children to be brought back to classrooms: Murad

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that 3.9 million out-of-school children will be brought back to classrooms by lunching non-formal education in 68 high schools constructed with the assistance of USAID in northern Sindh.This he said on Monday while talking to an American delegation led by US Ambassador Paul W Jones, Consul General Robert Silberstein, Political/Economist Jimmy Mauldein, Political Chief Neil Philips, Economist Chief Chad Miner, Political Assistant Saleh Shah and others.The chief minister was assisted by SMBR Qazi Shahid Parvez, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Education Ahsan Mangi, PD USAID- Sindh Municipal Services Delivery Program (MSDP) Qazi Mustafa Jamal Qazi.The chief minister said that with the assistance of USAID 68 high schools had been constructed which would be operationalised under a public-private partnership very soon.“In the same schools, we have planned to enrol out-of- school children under a non-formal education programme to be launched there in the evening shift,” he said and added under the non-formal programme the students would be taught a five years’ course, from class I to class V in three years.Shah said that there were 3.9 million out-of-school children in Sindh and his government was trying to bring them back to school by offering an easy education programme. “We would also launch a non-formal education evening programme in central parts of the province and in the city of Karachi and in its outskirt areas,” he said and added this expansion of the programme would be made in phases.The US ambassador appreciated the chief minister’s efforts and assured him of USAID support. He said that he may offer to design special courses through USAID educationaists. Talking about the MSDP, the chief minister said that with the assistance of USAID, the MSDP was going on in three districts, Jacobabad, Kambar-Shahdadkot and Dadu, and in six towns, Jacobabad, Kambar, Shahdadkot, KN Shah, Mehar and Johi. This programme has been launched with a Rs926 million Sindh government allocation while the USAID is funding $66 million.The meeting was told that a water supply scheme of Rs1.99 million had been completed by 98 percent. The water test run has already been started randomly in zone/Mohallas of the Jacobabad city. Out of 15,075 household connections, 8,859 have been installed by the end of last week. The remaining connections are being installed.The meeting was told that under the Solid Waste Management programme of Rs192 million, more than 70 percent vehicles, machinery and equipment had been handed over to the Jacobabad Municipal Committee. The remaining work would be done by the end of this month.The meeting was also informed that the waste water project of Rs2.88 billion had also been launched for which tenders had been opened and the appointment of a consultant for assessment for the procurement committee was awaited. The meeting decided to work together in renewable energy and sanitation sectors.

from The News International - Karachi https://ift.tt/2LyNUNd