KARACHI, Aug 20: The Sindh government is taking all possible steps to ensure provision of better education and health facilities on priority basis to the masses.

This was stated by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad while presiding over a high-level meeting at Governor's House here on Friday. The meeting was attended by National Commission for Human Development Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf and members of his team.

Dr Ibad said that education department officials were being asked to get maximum results from existing resources and efforts were under way to make all closed schools in the province functional by utilizing existing infrastructure.

The governor said that provision of education facilities to children was the responsibility of government. To achieve the very goal, he added, the government was giving various incentives to children and their guardians.

He dilated upon the programme envisaging the upgradation of primary schools to elementary schools and middle schools to secondary schools by way of providing necessary facilities in the same buildings.

He said that training of teachers, their recruitment from their own areas and participation of community was also being ensured. The meeting was informed that more than 260,000 children were admitted to primary schools in the province while 2,000 new schools were opened during the last year.

Dr Ibad said that directives had also been issued for teaching English language from Class-I at provincial schools. He expressed hope that this would yield good results and said that emphasis was also being laid on training and vocational education along with regular education.

He said that he had taken notice of the growing gap between the registration of boys and girl students at primary, middle and high schools. To maintain the enrolment ratio at primary, middle and high schools, he said that he had given special instructions to education department and local governments.

Talking about health sector, he pointed out that 80 per cent diseases could be controlled only by adopting hygienic principles and ensuring preventive measures. He was of the view that people could be protected against diseases by ensuring availability of health workers, particularly lady health workers, at all local health units.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Nasim Ashraf highlighted the steps taken in all provinces by the National Commission for Human Development. The governor appreciated their performance and expressed hope that their efforts would produce encouraging results. -APP/PPI