KARACHI: Unicef's help sought to reduce school dropouts
KARACHI, Sept 13: Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuro has urged non-governmental organizations and national and international donor agencies especially Unicef to assist the provincial education department
in minimizing high drop-out ratio of children from schools after completion of primary education.
She also called upon education department officials to "re- organize and revamp" mass awareness campaign through print and electronic media, aimed at pursuing parents to educate their children beyond primary level.
She was talking to a two-member Unicef delegation, including Field Officer Raana Sayed and Programme Officer Shehla Rasheeduddin, at her office on Monday. She deplored that lack of awareness among parents besides poverty were major causes of high drop out ratio of children from primary schools in the province.
Lauding the efforts of Unicef for promotion of girls' education and increase in literacy in the province, she said that primary education system required drastic changes.
"National and international donor agencies, especially Unicef can play an important role in this regard by assisting education department in devising a comprehensive teaching plan," she added.
The minister also informed the visiting delegation of her decision regarding introducing subject of English from Class-I at public-sector primary schools and urged donor's assistance in curricula revival.
"Donors can help us in preparation of attractive textbooks for children," she said. She also informed the visiting Unicef team about her plans to introduce variety of technical and IT educational courses at middle schools in the province.
She further said that she would soon have a meeting with Nazims, DCOs and EDOs of four districts, where the Unicef was funding educational schemes for recruitment of short-term teachers.
Raana Sayed briefed the education minister of Unicef's operations for enhancement of literacy rate among females. She said that her organization was endeavoring to meet the target of enrolment of 50,000 additional girls at schools besides provision of potable water and sanitation facilities at 400 schools.
"The Unicef is also running a primary education project in eight talukas of four districts, including Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur and Thatta," she said, and added that the project was aimed at bringing 30 per cent increase in girls enrolment.
During the meeting, the Unicef delegation assured the minister of all required funding for the mass awareness campaign, teachers' training and other programmes of education department and expressed hope that with close coordination between Sindh Education Department and the Unicef, the goal of quality education to all would be achieved shortly. -PPI
