HYDERABAD, Jan 18: Sindh education minister Irfanullah Marwat has expressed concern over the poor performance of government primary schools.

He was speaking at a dinner, hosted by union council-8 Naib Nazim Azhar Shaikh, at the Holm Stead Hall here on Friday night. He said out of 36,000 primary schools in the province, 1,400 schools had only one room and were without boundary walls.

The minister said there were only 1,600 middle schools in the province.

He criticized politicians for their interference in the education department.

He said school buildings had been converted into Autaqs and were being used for different purposes in the interior of Sindh.

Mr Marwat said he had called a meeting of owners of private schools to discuss the issue of fees with them.

He said he had received letters from the people that children belonging to the middle class could not get education in private schools as their fees were high.

He said Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar had also directed him to look into the matter.

About embezzlement of funds of the education department, he said inquiries would be made in this regard.

He said out of 614 newly-admitted students at the D.J. Science College, Karachi, only 14 were from government-run institutions.

He said he would make efforts to provide jobs to people.