KARACHI, April 2: Sindh Governor Mohammed Mian Soomro on Tuesday formally launched the compulsory primary education campaign in the province by enrolling children at the CMS High School, the primary educational institution of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
The governor gave and received admission forms from the children and accorded admissions to them with his own signatures.
District Coordination Officer, Karachi, Shafiqur Rehman Paracha, showed him the records from the historic school register, which contained the details of Quaid’s admission to the institution.
Sindh is the first province to promulgate the Primary Compulsory Education Ordinance-2001, under which primary education will become mandatory for all children, between the age of 5 and 11 years, throughout the province by June 2004. the provincial government has also declared that free education would be imparted to the students up to secondary level.
With the inauguration of the campaign, a pilot project has commenced in 15 talukas in the interior of Sindh and five towns in Karachi.
The schoolbuilding was beautifully decorated with banners highlighting the significance of education, elimination of illiteracy and compulsory education.
People present on the occasion appreciated the steps taken by Governor Mohammedmian Soomro for the promotion of education and against illiteracy. They promised to extend full cooperation in making the drive a success.
Mr Soomro said it was the mission of his government to improve the quality of life of the common man and for this, he added, education played a vital role. The task should had been accomplished much earlier. Today is the memorable day in the history of the province, he remarked.
He pointed out that there had been many problems, including paucity of funds, in the way of introducing compulsory primary education, but with determination the government had taken the decision to embark on the campaign.
The governor praised President General Pervez Musharraf for taking special interest and the cooperation of the federal government which enabled the province to launch a number of historic programmes.
He declared that the government would provide all resources for the implementation of compulsory education programme and would ensure that the same are available in the future.
He announced that all students admitted to primary class would be provided books and uniforms free of cost.
He called for an active role by the private sector in the fields of education and health as, he said, no individual, or government alone and even a single sector could carry out the task. “It requires the involvement of people, NGOs, local committees, businessmen, farmers, teachers, doctors and all segments of the society,” he emphasized.
Provincial education minister Anita Ghulam Ali highlighted the effects and outcomes of compulsory primary education. She emphasized the role of women towards promotion of education.
Prof Anita said development in the field of education was the most essential element for achieving a respectable place in the comity of nations.
City Nazim Naimatullah Khan expressed the determination to accomplish the task during his tenure as Nazim. He announced that each deserving student admitted to primary class would be provided a stipend of Rs50 per month.
DCO Karachi Shafiqur Rehman Paracha highlighted the salient features of the compulsory primary education campaign.
EDO (education) Raees Alvi read out a letter written by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to the head of the school in 1921.—APP/PPI
KARACHI, April 2: Sindh Governor Mohammed Mian Soomro on Tuesday formally launched the compulsory primary education campaign in the province by enrolling children at the CMS High School, the primary educational institution of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
