KARACHI, March 9: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Muhammad Mahar has said that no nation can make progress without education and that there will be no compromise on standard of education.

This he said while presiding over a high-level meeting held on Monday to discuss education problems, at the Chief Minister's House. The meeting also reviewed the demands of Sindh teachers' associations and took decisions in this regard.

He assured that teacher's genuine problems would be solved so that they could perform their duties diligently. The chief minister said that the government had undone all types of quota, and all jobs would be given on merit only, however, provision of jobs to teachers' children on Shaheed quota would be given sympathetic consideration.

Mr Mahar, referring to complaints about absence of teachers from their places of posting, warned that the government would not tolerate any negligence in this regard and strict action would be taken against absentee teachers.

He also took notice of 'ghost teachers' and directed that appropriate action be taken in such cases. The chief minister also called for formation of monitoring committees in all districts of the province.

He said these committees should comprise retired teachers, educationists, intellectuals etc, who should monitor the attendance of teachers, supervise the performance of educational institutions, besides monitoring their financial affairs and condition of buildings.

On the occasion, he announced Chief Minister Award for first three position-holders from every district of the province and said hard working and meritorious teachers would also be rewarded.

He said that an inter-provincial training programme for teachers would be launched soon to benefit from each other's experiences. The meeting decided to exempt sons and daughters of teachers from payment of fees up to post-graduation level. The meeting decided to hold DPC of school teachers of BPS-II in routine, after every three months.

It also decided to retain 190 posts of headmasters, converted to assistant principals/principals, besides allowing recruitment for specified school side services in education department by advertising the same, allocation of funds to be released for leave-salary difference bills.

It allowed usual 30 pre cent house rent on the minimum revised pay scale of 2001, instead of 1991, besides district-wise sponsorship of teachers for Haj Scheme from Benevolent Fund as was in vogue in Punjab.

It also decided to establish a separate education board at Mirpurkhas, besides promotion of Urdu language teachers from BPS-14 to BPS-16 as in the case of Sindhi language teachers. -APP