07 August 2004	Saturday	20 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, Aug 6: Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro has defended the denationalization policy of the government, saying that placing nationalizied educational institutions under their previous owners will improve standard of education.

"The sole way of imparting quality education to students is denationalization of the nationalized educational institutions," she said, while speaking at a reception by education department at a local hotel on Friday.

She maintained that the government would continue its denationalization policy and it would be spread across the province, while a special programme for the poor children would also be launched soon.

Admitting that poor quality education was being imparted at the public schools, she said efforts were under way for formation of a concrete strategy for restoration of previous status of the public schools, so as to create a competitive environment among them and the private educational institutes.

She said the provincial education department wanted to work jointly with the city government to resolve the problems in education sector, and for providing good education to the students.

Dr Khuhro urged the parents that they should realize the importance of education and ensure enrolment of their children in schools for providing a better career to the youngsters.

Heads of schools and media organizations should fulfil their responsibility for creating awareness among the people regarding the role of education, she added. She said the youth should acquire skills and job-oriented education in stead of completely relying on government jobs, adding that they should initiate their own businesses through sheer hard work.

Answering a question, she said an inquiry would be launched to resolve the problem of seniority in education department. Talking to newsmen on the occasion, Dr Khuhro called upon the public to monitor the standard of government schools and register their complaints with the Education ministry.

Speaking at the reception, Executive District officer (Education) Gul Muhammad Hajano elaborated the problems of education department and said that there was resentment among senior staff in the department as many junior and non-qualified officers had been appointed against upper-grade posts.

He said that to resolve the problems of the public schools, proper utilization of funds was necessary. He demanded that the recruitment of officials and teachers in the department should only be made through the Public Service Commission and higher authorities should not interfered in this matter.

Mr Hajano also demanded transport funds for DOs, ADOEs and other officials of education department, besides an inquiry into the unfinished foreign-funded projects initiated by the previous government.

Sindh Education Secretary Nadir Ali Malkani said that all problems of education department would be settled down through mutual coordination of the concerned people. Additional Secretary (Academic) Anwaar Ahmad Zai, DCO Mir Hussain Ali, EDOs, DOs, ADOEs, Education, of various districts and a large number of educationists were present at the reception. -PPI