BADIN, April 17: The secretary for education, Sindh, Nazar Hussain Mehar, said on Tuesday that Sindh needed drastic changes in its education sector to survive and the government was committed to the cause of education.

Talking to the journalists at the circuit house here, he said the need of hour was to attain international standard and quality education in Sindh and the government was formulating new education policy to increase the literacy rate.

He said that the federal government was allocating Rs115 million for 100,000 school-going children, including 25,000 girls, for medical cover and food, under the Tawana Pakistan Programme. The amount would be spent in three years.

He said that Rs70 million were disbursed for the School Management Committees of the district, while 1,800 committees had already utilized the funds as per their shares.

He deplored the lack of knowledge and low education standard and said that for 2,600 vacant posts of teachers, 480 candidates could go through in the interviews and 2,200 posts were still vacant. He regretted that if there were eligible candidates, none of the posts could have been left vacant.

He said that under the new devolution set up, policies were being made to restore the confidence among the students, teachers and parents that if they strive hard, they would receive its fruits.

Mr Mehar said that the School Management Committees would be given more powers, even to appoint posts below grade 17 at each taluka and district.

He said that Rs8.5 million were being spent for free education in Badin district and half of the instalment had already been released.

He said that the government would also provide a huge amount under the Communication Support Programme and 20 schools would be opened in the rural areas.