18 February 2004	Wednesday	26 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 17: Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat said on Tuesday that Sanctioned Number of Employees (SNE) plan at a cost to Rs342 million has been approved for recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff at schools and colleges in Sindh.

"With the approval of the SNE, all vacant posts in the Sindh Education department are being filled in a transparent manner, which will help in overcoming shortage of teachers at local educational institutions," he said while speaking at a certificate distribution ceremony at the Govt Model Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad.

Felicitating position-holders in PTC, CT, BEd and MEd examinations and their teachers, he said it was heartening to see that 90 per cent positions in board examinations, held in Karachi and Hyderabad, were secured by the students of public educational institutions.

Lauding the performance of students and teachers of the college he promised to grant BEd status to the institution soon.

Criticising some teachers' bodies for demanding quota for their children in jobs in education department, he said they should provide quality education to their children so that they could compete on merit.

"Unfortunately, some teachers and association leaders are using recruitment process to take political mileage instead of performing their duties," he remarked and added that all the vacancies in the department would be filled on merit, without any outside interference.

To the complaints that application forms for jobs in the department were not available at the designated branches of local banks, he maintained that instructions for provision of forms had been issued.

"If felt necessary, date for submission of application forms for recruitment will also be extended," he said, adding that libraries would also be established at all the colleges and schools.

Later, Mr Marwat inaugurated a computer laboratory at the college, which had been established with 40 PCs for training of students and teachers. College Principal Mrs Maqsood Jehan, Prof Yaseen and DG, PITE, Mehboob Shaikh, also spoke on the occasion. -PPI