The Turkish government is playing a significant role in the field of education throughout the province, especially in the flood-affected areas, where it is supporting the Sindh government in restructuring the educational infrastructure, provincial Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said on Wednesday. He was talking to a four-member delegation of the Pak Turk Schools and Colleges, led by Regional director Ali Karan, at his office. The other members of the delegation included Principal Mesut Kacmaz, Vice Principal Dr Shaukat Ali, Turkish Airlines Country Manger Hussain, Siraj, Abdul Rehman and Adnan Khan from Swat, a Pak Turk School student, who obtained the first position with a gold medal in project competition of 40 countries in Georgia in May 2011.
Haq lauded the performance of the Pak Turk Schools and Colleges and congratulated the delegation. “The present government is giving special boost to education in rural areas, especially girls’ education, and has taken concrete steps to provide quality education in far-flung areas,” he said. “President Asif Ali Zardari wants to modernise the education system in Sindh and in this regard, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has presented the education policy to improve educational standards as well as the facilities for teachers, who actually implement the policies in the educational sector and achieve the desired goals,” he added.
The minister further said that the Turkish government and donor agencies have taken reform steps to raise the educational standard in the province. The European Union, World Bank, USAID and others have signed MoUs with the Sindh government to provide the educational infrastructure and the UNICEF is restoring 600 schools in the province. The UN, through an NGO, would build 137 schools in Sujawal.
Later, Haq presented a shield to student Adnan Khan for his outstanding performance on behalf of the provincial Education Department. The Pak Turk delegation also gave a certificate to the minister for promoting education in Sindh and a memento on behalf of the organisation.