HYDERABAD, Aug 17: Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat on Saturday said 900 lecturers would be recruited in the province on contract basis.

Talking to journalists at the Sindh Textbook Board after holding a Haj draw of board employees, he said a third party would conduct the written test and interviews for the posts to ensure transparency and avoid interference from the education department.

Mr Marwat said, except for rural and urban quota, there would be no quota for prime minister, chief minister, governor, teachers and elected representatives in the jobs.

He said the curriculum of Madaris would be sent to the STB for printing for which negotiations were being held with managements of the Madaris. He said this was being done so that students could get formal education apart from the religious one.

The minister said the government was encouraging private and public sectors’ partnership that was why there were talks of establishing private boards of education.

He said it would be ensured that books were dispatched to taluka and union councils on time. He said ‘O’ level education was being introduced in government institutions.

Talking about the alleged corruption in the Jacobabad education department, Mr Marwat said the cases were being handled by the Anti-Corruption Establishment and departmental proceedings were also in progress against those involved in the scam.

About giving advance to employees for building houses and buying motorcycles, he said the process had been decentralized and every department had its own budget for disbursement among its employees.

The minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the performance of the education department.

Answering a question regarding school buildings damaged in rains, he said the same would be repaired after completion of a survey of the losses by district relief committees, appointed by the Sindh government.

When asked about differences between district Nazims and relief committees, he said every district Nazim was a member of the district relief committee concerned. He said the process was being overseen by the Sindh government as it had more resources.

Responding to a question about the Anti-Greater Thal Canal Action Committee, he said no provincial minister had supported the Thal canal construction and the Sindh Assembly had adopted unanimous resolutions against the project.