CM Sindh directs SEF to operationalise 168 closed schools

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday approved the budget for the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) and directed the semi-autonomous organisation to functionalise 168 closed schools.

The chief minister while presiding over Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) Board of Governors’ meeting said that the education was top priority of the provincial government and he was delighted that SEF was working on the agenda.

CM Sindh approved the revised budget estimate of Rs6.225 billion for 2017-18, and estimate budget of Rs 9.597 million for 2018-19.

He reiterated that education is central to development and SEF has visibly put in commendable efforts. “These efforts need to continue in the overall interest of our communities and overall development in the province,” he said adding he was looking forward to the school for street children at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qaladar in Sehwan.

Managing Director SEF Ms. Naheed Shah Durrani, briefing the meeting, stated that the SEF during the last few years has made efforts to supplement the efforts of School Education and Literacy Dept (SELD).

She added that the foundation has not only expanded the outreach to over 555,943 students through a network of 2314 schools but also undertaken the quality reforms, including the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based teaching and learning in SEF-assisted schools.

Some major milestones as Naheed Shah mentioned includes enhancing the post primary school portfolio introducing adolescent and adult learning and training program, and undertaking intensive teacher trainings and students assessments through third party organisations..

CM Sindh appreciated that SEF undertook a survey of 941 closed government schools of Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro, Dadu and Sujawal districts, and has submitted a detailed plan to operationalise 168 of these closed schools found to be viable on the basis of demography and over 35,000 students can have access to education in these remote areas.

He also appreciated that a similar survey is being conducted in Mirpurkhas, Tando Mohammad Khan and Tando Allahyar to open the closed schools to get over 25,000 out of school children enrolled.

The SEF Board discussed and approved the partnership with Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) and the Citizen Education Foundation allowing SEF to take over the oil multinational OMV-managed schools for the provision of quality education in desert areas of Ghotki, Salehpat and Nara on sustained basis.

Furthermore, the introduction of ICT and Science, Technology Engineering & Mathematics (STEM), integrated curriculum in Sindh government and SEF secondary and high schools was approved.

CM Sindh instructed that necessary financing may be secured for such an important intervention. He agreed that the students studying in SEF-assisted and SELD-run schools should gradually be acquainted the concepts of ICT-based integrated curriculum.

The School Education Scholarship Programme to award cholarship to 1300 meritorious students of SEF-assisted schools who performed well in SEF and government-administered assessments was approved.

The scholarship will provide post-primary (Grade 6 to 12) education in quality institutions like Sukkur IBA University community colleges and public schools across Sindh.

The board all approved collaboration with UNDP for education, employment and empowerment of youth through dedicated intervention targeting approximately 15,000 young people.