KARACHI, Sept 11: Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Khan Marwat said on Thursday that plan was under way to provide scholarships with financial assistance from international donor agencies to female students from rural and poor areas of the province to enhance women literacy rate in Sindh.

“ The government is very concerned about the declining rate of literacy among females in the province and incentives are being offered, including handsome scholarships compelling parents to educate their daughters”, the minister said while speaking at a scholarship cheque distribution ceremony in Karachi.

The minister distributed scholarship cheques of Rs180,000 among 180 girl students of the Union Lower Secondary School in Manzoor Colony and also inaugurated nursery classes at the school.

He said scholarships would also be awarded to girls in other schools of the province and children of all the schools would be provided free-of-charge books.

He said that tender for the girls college in Azam Basti near the 11.C bus stop had been approved and work on the project would be initiated this week.

Later, the minister announced upgrading of the Government Bismillah Primary School in Sector E of Akhtar Colony to H.M.A. Girls Lower Secondary School, and inaugurated the extension work of more class rooms.

The minister invited proposals from area Nazims and councillors to initiate development works in the area. DO Secondary Education Fakhar Karim, EDO Latif Mughal, Councillor Tariq Shah also spoke on the occasion.—PPI