Moalims

Larkana—Senior Provincial Minister for Infor-mation and Education, Sindh, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Monday said that Education Department has initiated the School Specific Programme (SSP) to develop 10,000 schools of Sindh and directed the officials concerned to ensure the reopening of 655 closed schools in Larkana.

He expressed these views while chairing the high level meeting with officials of Education Department of Larkana division here at Commissioner office.

He held officers and clerks of Education Depart-ment responsible for the closed schools and ghost teachers and gave ultimatum to them to reopen hun-dreds of closed schools in Larkana within 15 days and ensure the educational activities, otherwise strict action will be taken against them, he said.

Mr Khuhro claimed that during the past two years his department has appointed 16,000 to 17,000 teachers through NTS on merit and made no politi-cal appointment and such step would enhance the standard of education and bring positive results.

The Minister said that there are 43,000 primary schools in Sindh while number of middle schools is less than primary and efforts are underway to up-grade more primary schools into middle so that out of school children could be covered.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that there is lack of communication and coordination between the officers which had led to the closure of schools and absence of teachers which is challenging task for education officers. He directed the education offi-cials to ensure the transparency in utilization of SMC funds and other budget of schools.

The Minister informed the meeting that his department under Sindh Text Book Board has been publishing and distributing free text books worth Rs 2 billion among the students every year to facilitate the poor students in order to increase literacy rate.

On the occasion Commissioner Larkana, Ghulam Akbar Leghari, briefed Nisar Ahmed Khuhro about the prevailing condition of education department in Larkana division and said that 655 government schools out of 5988 are closed. The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Larkana Javed Ali Jagirani, Director Primary Schools, DEOs, TEOs and other officials.

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