KARACHI, Aug 31: The Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy, Dr Hamida Khuhro, has directed officials concerned to accelerate the activities of the Decentralised Elementary Education Project (DEEP) including the execution of civil work of upgradation of schools’ to make the project meaningful and result-oriented for the province.

She issued these directives during a briefing given to her by the Project Director DEEP, Inamullah Dharejo, at her office on Wednesday.

Secretary Education Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, Special Secretary Education Iqbal Hussain Durani and others were also present.

The minister appreciated efforts of the new management taken for implementation of the project with the understanding of the funding agency – Asian Development Bank (ADB) – and directed them to ensure substantial progress with regard to the distribution of stipend and free textbooks under various components of the project.

Deep’s project director informed Dr Hamida that 1,200 primary schools were to be upgraded under the project costing Rs5.88 billion. About 300 identifications of these schools have been cleared by the ADB.

He further said that pre-primary classes in 250 primary schools, out of a 1,000, were to be carried out in the first year of the project. The funding agency has given approval for 147 locations for the purpose.

He said lavatory blocks in 284 schools and compound walls of 180 schools had also been finalised; civil work for which would start soon.

The project director also informed the minister that 204 English medium model schools are to be developed in each taluka of the province, separately for boys and girls. The funding agency has given clearance for 32 identifications of model schools in this regard while the rest 70 are to be cleared by the funding agency.

He further said the distribution of free textbooks to girls from classes 6th to 8th had been completed in nine districts, adding that distribution of textbooks in the remaining districts will be completed by the second week of September.

He said a stipend of Rs2,000 per annum to 7,460 girls of classes 9 and 10 had also been started under the poverty-cum merit criterion.

Dr Hamida expressed satisfaction over the project’s progress. She also directed making transparent the selection of contractors to be awarded civil work.

She also stressed the need for carrying out training of teachers and SMCs in a result-oriented quality education.—APP