The Sindh government has finally decided to give the largely neglected education sector some attention by announcing on Tuesday that it plans to construct an education complex, a model school and an engineering college in the city. This was stated during at a meeting of the education department chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.

Shah informed participants of the meeting at the C.M. House that education was now a provincial matter after the 18th amendment to the Constitution. As far as finances are concerned, the federal government has to look after all Universities and Higher Education departments till the next NFC.

Chief Minister Sindh ordered that the early reopening of closed schools so that education can be provided in those areas. He said the government would provide the necessary assistance for this purpose.

He also stressed that the enrolment of students be increased in the province and added that special attention needs to be paid to girls’ education. The chief minister directed that cadet colleges and public schools be opened to provide the latest educational techniques and facilities to students of deprived districts in the province.

He also directed that in certain areas, that middle schools be turned to high schools (classes IX & X) and high Schools become higher secondary schools (classes XI & XII) so that those students wishing to attain a further education do not have to move to other parts of the province or country.

The chief minister said that under the approved policy of one college per Taluka headquarter, the remaining 53 Talukas be provided college buildings as soon as possible. Shah asked officers of the education department to utilise the funds within the allotted time. He also urged a further improvement in the performance of the department.

Secretary Sindh Education Department Muhammad Siddique Memon highlighted the Annual Development Plan (ADP) 2011-2012 and said that there were 104 schemes of the education department, out of which 26 were new schemes, while 77 were ongoing. There was also another scheme which was outside the ADP. Regarding funds, he revealed that the total allocation for the schemes is Rs7832.016 million, which includes Rs1289.792 million for new schemes, Rs6643.208 million for ongoing schemes and Rs 99.016 million for one scheme outside the ADP.

The secretary education pointed out that there are four schemes for elementary education, three for teachers’ education, four of the Education Foundation, 13 schemes for secondary education, 55 of College education and 24 miscellaneous ones apart from the solitary scheme outside the ADP.

Memon highlighted that an education complex is being constructed in Karachi, while computer labs are being provided to various schools of Sindh and a Masters course for Teachers Training is being implemented under the new scheme.