KARACHI, Sept 14: The Sindh Education Minister, Dr Hamida Khuhro, on Tuesday urged the people of Sindh, besides education department officials and planners, to work with dedication and national spirit for the enhancement of literacy.

Speaking at a ceremony held at a local hotel for distribution of textbooks among NGOs by the Directorate of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, Dr Khuhro deplored that planners and officers of the education department were not performing their duties with dedication and commitment.

"No one is performing his responsibility fairly due to which this very important sector of nation building is deteriorating," she said. She supplemented her statement by the fact that there was a difference of 20 per cent between the literacy rates of Sindh and Punjab.

Dr Khuhro said that on her recent visit to the primary school in Larkana, from where she had received her early education, she was surprised to see the 60-year-old method of teaching still adopted there, and urged for the introduction of new trends in education.

She expressed hope that there would be visible progress in the education sector in Sindh within the next three years if English was taught right from the primary-level. However, she clarified that this would be difficult without community participation.

Recalling the last time when she held the same portfolio, Dr Hamida said, the education department had recruited around 26,000 teachers. But she said, it was difficult now since they had limited resources, adding that the lifting of ban on government jobs was awaited.

She maintained that against some 7,000 vacancies in the education department, thousands of youths had submitted applications, assuring that jobs would be provided purely on merit.

Pointing out towards social evils in Sindh, she said Karo-kari was a common practice all over the world, but it was Sindh that was facing a harsh blame for the trend; and it this was due to illiteracy.

She appealed to every literate girl to educate at least one illiterate girl in order to get the land rid of the Karo-kari menace. Dr Khuhro, on the occasion, announced job-oriented education and basic primary education, with enrolment of every child into school, as her prime objective. She appealed to NGOs, philanthropists and common people to join her struggle and give the province and the country a bright and prosperous future.

Earlier, she distributed books among the NGOs working for non-formal education by running schools. The Director, Non-formal Education, Dr Dur Muhammad Pathan and EDO (Education) Karachi Gul Muhammad Hajano also spoke.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Education Minister, Dr Hamida Khuhro, on Tuesday welcomed the instructions and directives of Pir Pagaro to his followers for imparting education to girls, expressing hope that these directives would help in enhancing literacy rate, especially among females.

According to an official handout, she said that the support of Pir Pagaro for education in general and for education of girls in particular would go a long way in creating awareness, and in providing necessary boost to the objective of girls education. - PPI