HYDERABAD, Jan 15 The government has appealed to the private sector to join its efforts to increase literacy among women by providing incentives to schoolgoing girls.

The appeal was made by the DCO Aftab Ahmed Khatri on Thursday during the inaugural ceremony of a girls primary school constructed by the British Petroleum Pakistan in Lim Liar village, Tando Fazal union council in Hyderabad rural taluka.

The DCO said that the government was giving Rs1,000 to every girl from Class-VI to X for attracting them towards education though private schools were yet to follow this despite the fact that they pocket huge profit through fees.

He asked the private institutions to at least provide fee concession to girls for helping in increasing literacy rate. Some 210 Sindhi and Urdu medium schools had been converted into English medium in the district, he said.

President, British Petroleum Pakistan, Tariq Khamisani said that his organisation was committed to upgrading the standard of living in its concession area. He said that the first step in this direction was an easy access to education.

He said that the BPP had already launched many projects in the field of education, health and capacity-building at Badin district and other concession areas.

He said that they need the government, NGOs and community support not only to make these projects successful, but also to launch new ones for community welfare. — Bureau