THATTA: The provincial government is least interested in improving the standard of education in Thatta and other backward areas of Sindh, said speakers at a conference on ‘District Education Budget Tracking 2015-16’ held at the Makli gymkhana here on Tuesday.

Partab Shivani, a representative of Alif Ailaan, a non-governmental organisation, deplored that the approach of the officials concerned could be gauged from the fact that so far not a penny had been released for the development sector of the district’s schools by the Sindh government, though 360 of the 1,583 schools were closed. He said that despite the government’s tall claims the standard of education was declining, adding that the literacy rate of the district was mere 23 per cent. He said that various organisations were trying to create awareness about education among the people to equip the future generations to fight terrorism and illiteracy.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA from Thatta Syed Ameer Hyder Shah deplored that hundreds of schools were lying closed in his coastal district with no ray of hope to get any positive response from the present government.

Asad Palejo, Nazeer Ahmed Chandio, Rustam Samejo and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2016