The Sindh education and literacy department signed agreements with two organisations to manage the first group of schools constructed under the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Sindh Basic Education Programme. The management agreements with the Institute of Business Administration Sukkur and Charter for Compassion Pakistan apply to four schools in Khairpur and Sukkur districts.
US Ambassador David Hale, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, US Consul General in Karachi Brian Heath and USAID Provincial Director Craig Buck attended the signing ceremony.
“Our hope is that working with teachers, staff, and local communities, these new partnerships will introduce innovations, help modernise the education system, and strengthen human resources,” Ambassador Hale said. He added that true and lasting development starts with education. “Support for education is one of America’s top priorities in Pakistan. The USAID is cooperating with Pakistan to carry out Pakistan’s comprehensive education programmes to help millions of children and young adults.”
The Sindh government is forming partnerships with private sector organisations to manage and improve public schools under the Sindh Public Private Partnership Act 2010. As part of its $155 million contribution to the Sindh basic education programme, the USAID is funding the construction and management of a total of 106 schools in Khairpur, Sukkur, Dadu, Qamber-Shahdadkot, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Jacobabad, and Larkana as well as in five towns of Karachi.