KARACHI, Feb 25: The World Bank and Unicef assured financial and technical support to the Sindh education department for the rehabilitation of schools infrastructure and promotion of quality education under a comprehensive education plan.

WB Country Director John Wall held discussions with Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro at her residence, where both sides reviewed the causes of out- of-school children ratio, drop-outs after primary and other problems.

Education Secretary Mohammad Hashim Leghari, Special Secretary Abdul Qadir Mangi, Additional Secretary (PDF) Ahmed Fahim Mughal and Additional Secretary Finance Department, Ms Nahid Durani, were also present.

The minister informed Mr John Wall that the government had absolute commitment to quality education and which now had been placed on top of the agenda because the urgency of matter had been realized.

"The new generation direly needs vocational and technical education which can provide them maximum job opportunities and solutions to their financial problems," Dr Khuhro said.

She also quoted huge number of shelter-less schools and one or two room schools and expressed the need of converting one or two room schools into seven rooms' school at least. The minister appreciated the efforts of the federal education minister and said that there was need of short cuts to jump for quality and give competence to new generation.

Both sides also discussed the situation at district levels and the working of executive district officers under the supervision of district coordination officers and nazims.

Dr Khuhro informed the WB official about the ongoing recruitment process and said that all teachers would be hired on the basis of specific school and area and would be first trained before deployment for duties.

She also said that it was being planned that all village schools would be converted into community schools in which the parents could decide all matters along with utilization of these schools for adult literacy and mother coaching centres as well.

Mr John Wall suggested the education department to recruit female teachers only for primary education. He also stressed for political commitment and continuity of leadership for a sustainable reforms program.

Dr Khuhro also held a meeting with Unicef representatives Omer Abdi, Ms Rana Syed and Tariq Khan in her office. The Unicef officials offered to provide three types of roofs and alternate to the shelter-less schools and told that these had already been applied in the Thatta district.

They also offered funding for temporary teachers with the payment of Rs1500 per month in two Talukas of each district with condition that these teachers would be replaced by regular teachers within a year. The minister gave green signal to the offer.

Dr Khuhro, however said that since the next financial year placement/funding was at final stage therefore it would not be possible to replace the temporary teachers with regular teachers in a year and urged for some more time in this respect. - PPI