KARACHI, March 28: The Sindh education and literacy department on Wednesday announced its new 'Adopt-A-School-Scheme' whereby public sector schools could now be handed over to reputable non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and members of civil society for an initial period of three years.

Sindh education secretary Mohammad Siddique Memon said that a summary of this new programme, which Sindh Senior Minister for Education Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq had recently sent to Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, had been approved by the latter and a notification had been issued.

He said that under the new policy, reputable NGOs and members of civil society would under an agreement initially be handed over public sector schools for a period of three years but on their satisfactory performance the period of contract could be extended for another 10 years.

A steering committee for the Adopt-A-School Scheme had been formed while the task of monitoring the adopted schools had been assigned to the Sindh Education Foundation, he added.