KARACHI, Dec 30: The City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has decided to adopt a carrot and stick policy to improve the performance of government schools in Karachi.

A decision to assess the performance of the education department was taken in a meeting held at the Civic Centre, with the city nazim in the chair. Monitoring teams would be set up for the purpose, it was said.

The meeting decided that teachers coming late would be taken to task, while appreciation certificates would be given to those giving hundred per cent attendance. The city nazim, on the occasion, issued orders to complete construction work of girl schools having no toilets or boundary walls, on priority basis.

Education officials were asked to review the matter of posting female teachers in schools near their homes. He further asked for accelerating work on the project of 'Teachers' Model Training Institute', so that teachers could be provided with training on permanent basis.

The EDO Secondary Education, Ijaz Ali Khan, briefed the meeting on the performance of government schools and said the standard of these schools was rising gradually.

He added that during 2001, only 200 students had secured A-1 or A grades in matriculation exams, while this year, some 1,535 students succeeded in getting A-1 and A grades.

He said the government schools of North Nazimabad and backward areas of Lyari were producing 100 per cent results. The meeting was told that the number of students in government schools was on the rise and presently some 689,070 male and female students were enrolled with them.

The meeting was also told that until now about 8,608 teachers had been provided with training on modern lines. This had resulted in academic improvement of schools, which were now giving better results, it was observed. The meeting was also attended by the city nazim's Adviser on Education, Naseem Siddiqui, Education Committee Chairperson Rehana Feroze and ERI Director Safoora Naeem. - PPI