Education is key to progress and development, says Qaim

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presided over a high-level meeting of the Sindh education department at the CM House here on Tuesday which reviewed overall working, progress and performance of the department.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Education Pir Mazharul Haq, Minister Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Enam Memon, Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D) Malik Israr, ACS (Finance) Asif Khan, Principal Secretary to CM, Muhammad Siddiq Memon, Secretary Education Mukhtiar Soomro, Secretary Works and Services, Qazi Shahid Pervaiz, and others officers of Finance, P&D and Education departments.
The chief minister in his views observed that promotion and furtherance of education is a must for progress, prosperity and development of a nation and as such it is the endeavour of the present government to spread quality education at all levels.
He said that under 5-E policies/programme of the party manifesto, the provincial government has made remarkable changes at elementary education, teacher’s education, education foundation, secondary education, college education and higher education, and maximum funds are being spent, aimed at providing facilities of education and literacy, while job opportunities are also being provided to unemployed, as appointment of teachers, non-teaching staff and lecturers are being appointed.
Qaim Ali Shah directed the authorities of Sindh education department to highlight the economic and social side of schemes to general public in a prominent manner.
He further stressed that basic infrastructure, reading material and other facilities are being provided to students so as to achieve maximum facilities.
The chief minister stated that issue of regularization etc of certain teachers, who were inducted on contract basis without consideration of any recruitment rules, in the period of previous regime, he formed a committee to suggest ways and means for their regular induction in government service, as there are some employees working against project posts, while the others are appointed on contract basis without observing rules and regulations.
Sindh Education Minister and Provincial Education Secretary in their detailed briefing informed that there are 170 schemes under Annual Development Programme with total cost of Rs. 13086.191 million which include 1157 schemes under ADP, 9 under special packages and 4 schemes under special projects.
It was informed that there are total 116 on-going schemes for which an amount of Rs. 10331.063 million have been allocated. These schemes include 105 on-going schemes, 9 special packages and 2 schemes under special projects.
The secretary education informed that there will be 58 schemes remaining, out of which 46 will be completed within stipulated time – January 31, 2013.
Minister for Education, Pir Mazharul Haq, informed the meeting that prime minister had directed to all provincial governments to upgrade all primary schools up to the Elementary level Schools, as such in future there will be no `Primary School Teachers’ but there will be now be elementary teachers.
The meeting was informed that besides rehabilitation of schools, provision of free text books, stipend and other facilities, teachers are being recruited in various educational institutions.
It was informed that in first round 5,800 teachers were inducted, in 2008 and in second round 8,000 teachers were appointed in the year 2009-10, while under third round, while 4,250 new lecturers and Assistant Professors have been recruited, 19,000 new teachers are being recruited while 2,100 new lecturers are being appointed soon.
It was further informed that three buses have been provided for pick and drop of teachers at Hyderabad while an amount of Rs 300 million is available for urgent requirement of Education Department.
Regarding foreign funding, it was informed that under USAID, $ 150 million; under JICA, 100 schools are being upgraded, under DFID (UK Aid) SE Fund for education established through boys; under World Bank, US-300 million SERP-II, under EU Euro 30 million (SER-II) (final agreement signed), under GPE USD 662 million while under UNICEF, there is continuous support for various projects.
It was also informed that there are 44,000 Primary Schools in the province while 200 Schools in flood affected areas, which are being under 5-year development programme.