KARACHI, May 12: The Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy, Dr Hamida Khuhro, has said that the education sector policy framework plan, which was being prepared with the consultation of the World Bank, will help strengthen institutions and improve the delivery of education in public sector.

She said this in a meeting with a visiting delegation of the international financial institution at her office, said a statement on Friday.

The delegation comprised Reema Nayar, Norman Lavoque, Shahid Kardar, Zahid Hussain and Sofia Shakeel. Besides, the Sindh Secretary Education, Syed Ghulam Ali Pasha, and Chief Programme Manager, Reform Support Unit of Department Iqbal Durani also participated in the meeting.

The meeting took in-depth review of reforms being introduced by the education department for the improvement of education including teachers’ training.

The World Bank team urged the concerned officials to ensure that only the right people were recruited as teachers. The visiting team was also briefed about the working of education boards and the textbook board.

The team urged that examinations at various levels should be conducted in a transparent manner, further emphasizing the printing of attractive and meaningful textbooks.

The Sindh’s minister of education informed the World Bank team that the policy to recruit teaching manpower on school specific and non-transferable basis, in a transparent manner, had been finalized while efforts were also under way to open the closed schools.

She further briefed the team that the federal government was considering rationalizing the number of educational boards in provinces.

The visiting WB delegation was also told that vigorous efforts were being made to promote girls education with special focus on it.

"In this regard, stipends and scholarships have also been provided to the deserving girls for completing their education while there was also a plan to give financial benefits and awards to teachers for their good performance," she added.

The education department was expecting visible financial help as a budgetary support from the World Bank in the next financial year.

In this regard, a team of the Sindh education department led by its secretary would continue meetings with the World Bank team.—APP