10 April 2004	Saturday	19 Safar 1425

THATTA, April 9: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has said that the government cannot succeed in achieving expected results in education and other sectors without community participation.

He was speaking at a public meeting in Gharo town organized by the National Commission for Human Development under the banner of "Primary Education Enrolment Drive-2004" on Friday.

The governor said the government was responsible for providing facilities but the responsibility to send children school lied on individual's shoulders. He said prosperity, confidence and fame of individuals were interrelated with education.

Mr Ibad said we had not been able to achieve our goals particularly in the education sector even after the lapse of 56 years of independence. The governor also participated in a walk on the National Highway at Gharo.

He also announced Rs20,000 grant for artists who played musical instruments during the walk. The governor announced Rs500 each as an incentive for newly enrolled children.

Mr Ibad announced a grant of Rs1 million for poor children of the district, Rs5 million for the renovation and repair of damaged roads in coastal belt during the last torrential rains. The NCHD general manager, Hafeezullah Abbasi said that the literacy rate in Sindh was 18 per cent and net enrolment ratio was 24 per cent.

He said the NCHD had succeeded in enrolling 17,000 children out of 58,000 while 41,000 children were still out of schools. He said the NCHD had identified 450 places where establishment of primary schools was necessary.