KARACHI, Nov 11: The leadership of the Education Sector Reforms Assistance (ESRA) on Thursday assured the Sindh education department of all required technical and managerial support , and coordination in preparation of a 20-year plan and its implementation in Sindh.

A consensus among ESRA and Sindh education department officials was reached at a meeting held between the Sindh Education Minister, Dr Hamida Khuhro, and Chief Technical Officer of ESRA Hank Healy at Khuhro's residence.

Deputy Chief of ESRA Dr Sulman Humayun, Provincial Manager Sindh Waqar Ayub, and Additional Secretary Education Iqbal Ahmed Durani were also present at the meeting. The causes of decline of educational standards in Sindh were also discussed in the meeting.

Dr Khuhro briefed the ESRA leadership about her priorities and targets. She said that imparting training to teachers, introduction of vocational education, and computer learning to students from 14 years of age was among her top most priorities. This was to make the educational sector job oriented, she added.

According to her, there were many occupations and trades where youth after getting expertise could utilize their services, and support their parents financially, instead of relying on government jobs.

She said that she wanted to develop vocational and computer learning centres at the district-level in the first stage, which would be expanded in the second stage to the union council and school levels.

The minister further briefed them of her revamping plan of the education department along with introduction of a strict monitoring and vigilance system to ensure quality education.

She said that re-organization of departmental structure was also under way for implementation of reforms and work on various projects.

The head of ESRA team, Hank Healy, told the minister about ESRA's projects being carried out in the educational sector. He assured her of all technical and managerial support regarding finalization of a long-term program to uplift the standard of education.- PPI