HYDERABAD, Dec 8: A plan will be prepared under the private and public sector partnership to establish computer laboratories and career counselling centres in the province for promotion of IT education.

This was stated by Sindh Education Minister Hameeda Khuhro while inaugurating the Memon Computer Training Centre established by the Ko-Ordination Group (KOG) at the United Memon Jamaat, Hala, on Wednesday.

She stressed the need for increasing computer literacy. She said children should be imparted computer education from the age of seven to eight years to produce software engineers and meet requirements of the international market.

The minister expressed concern over the high ratio of children not going to school and said it was an alarming situation that 40 per cent children in the province were not enrolled.

She observed that the main hurdle in imparting computer education was low and erratic power supply in rural areas and added that her ministry would request the federal government for providing generators in schools to face the problem.

She said assistance of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority would also be sought in installing low-cost cable network in rural areas so that people could get access to the Internet.

Hala United Memon Jamaat general-secretary Allah Bachayo Memon said Hala was a historic city which had made great contribution in the field of education in Sindh but, unfortunately, it was now being neglected by authorities.

Underlining problems with regards to education in Hala, he demanded provision of furniture for girls' high schools in the area and introduction of three new technologies at the Hala Technical Institute, where only one technology was being taught presently.

KOG chairman Hanif S. Kalia demanded that the budget for education should be increased. He said information technology should be introduced as compulsory subject in schools and computer literacy be made compulsory for government jobs.

The EDO, education, Abdul Hameed Hur, Nighat Syed Pathan and Dr Saira Bano were also present on the occasion.