KARACHI, July 19: Sindh Education and Literacy Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro on Monday directed the officials concerned to make arrangements for basic English teaching, along with both national and regional languages , at primary level in the next academic session, to ensure skill development of children.

She gave these directions during a presentation on Decentralized Elementary Education Project, Sindh, on Monday. Education Secretary Syed Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, Special Secretary Syed Shohail Akber Shah and Deep Director Mr Saindad Solangi briefed the minister.

The minister was informed that English was being taught to students of class six and above. Expressing dissatisfaction over the present teaching methodology and courses, Dr Khuhro ordered the department to simplify the course with emphasis on languages, including English, Urdu and Sindhi, along with mathematics and Quranic teaching as optional subjects at primary level.

Referring to the dropout ratio of children from schools after primary education, the minister asked the education experts to concentrate on skill development of children after fifth class, by offering them training in various fields, along with incentives to poor children and their parents, with special emphasis on computer teaching.

Dr Khuhro was briefed that the project was aimed at bringing qualitative changes in education, socio-economic development and poverty reduction. She was also informed that the project would not only help reduce dropouts from schools, and promote community participation, but it would also standardize elementary education.

Deep director further said that through this project 1,200 existing primary schools, including 65 per cent girls' schools, would be upgraded to elementary level and 100 shelterless schools would be provided buildings.

Besides, free textbooks would be provided to all female students up to class eight, scholarship would also be given as incentives to the poor girl students, he added.

The minister was further informed that 204 schools would be converted into English-medium model schools, which included one each for boys and girls at Taluka level, with five teachers at each school on average, who world be paid Rs2,000 as special allowance.

Dr Khuhro appreciated this segment of the project and said that the merit should be criteria for the selection of teachers for the model English-medium schools, and only young, energetic, honest and dedicated teachers would be selected in a transparent manner. -PPI