KARACHI, Nov 12: Under a stipend programme, initiated by Sindh Middle School Project, an estimated amount of Rs37.046 million has been approved for female students, studying in middle schools in rural, slum and undeveloped areas of the province for the year 2001-2.

Elucidating details of the programme, PMSP Project Manager Talat Jaskani told PPI on Monday that it had been initiated with the financial collaboration of Asian Development Bank in 1997.

It is designed to encourage girls students, residing in rural, slum and underdeveloped areas of the province, who are unable to pursue education due to financial constraints, she informed, adding that since 1997, their stipend programme had encouraged over 16485 female students to enrol themselves in middle schools for post-primary education.

“So far, we have provided stipends of more than Rs48.302 millions to some 16485 girls students studying in five major cities of the province, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and Sukkur,” she maintained.

To achieve the target to provide financial assistance in terms of stipends to some 23850 girls students in Sindh, the remaining 7365 female students would be given Rs37.046 millions for the academic session 2001-2 starting from January, she informed.

She said that the headmistresses of middle schools in slum and underdeveloped and rural areas of the province had been asked to forward the applications of needy female students.

Recommendatory remarks of District Officer (Education) of the area is a prerequisite on the application, after which, they will issue a check of Rs1470 to that student, she maintained.

“The girl students receive this stipends for 6th, 7th and 8th classes and their applications for the next three years prove that the programme has been a success for the promotion of education among females in neglected areas,” she noted.

The SMSP Project Manager disclosed that during first two years, both the government of Sindh and the ADB each shared 50 per cent of the amount spent for giving stipends, while during last year, the financial collaboration remained 48 to 52 per cents by the Sindh government and the ADB respectively.

“Female students, who are residents of areas identified as rural, slum and underdeveloped and those whose parents’ total income is less than 10,000 are eligible and recommended to get stipends under this programme,” Ms Jaskani added.

A total of 10359 girl students of Karachi, living in all the five defunct districts, have so far received stipends, while 2095 students belonging to Hyderabad, 1972 from Mirpurkhas, 4801 students from Larkana and 14067 female students from Sukkur have been given the stipends during the last four years, who have successfully completed their middle education, she contended.

She told that during 1997-98, they gave Rs3.478 millions to some 2484 students, in 1998-99 some 6677 students got over Rs9.348 millions, during 2000-1 some 10097 female students were provided Rs14.943 millions and during last session they gave Rs20.633 million to 14036 female students.

“Hopefully, the target number of 23850 female students would be accomplished during the year 2001-2 and Rs85.348 millions, allocated for the stipend programme would reach to the deserving students,” she contended.—PPI