We are 50 years behind European countries: Dahar

Education minister discusses dept’s initiatives, schooling issues

KARACHI: We are almost 50 years behind in the field of education as compared to European countries, said education minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar.

"The country has to introduce reform at this juncture of history and only then our students may be able to get admissions to reputed institutes in Europe," he said, addressing an open kacheri at the deputy commissioner's office in Malir on Wednesday.

While mentioning the reforms initiated by the education department, Dahar said that in the last two months, almost 1,500 closed schools had been reopened and the remaining 2,500 closed schools would be reopened in a few months on need-basis.

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A rationalise policy is adopted for the process of transfers and posting of school teachers and college lecturers which will enhance the quality of education and help reduce problems in institutions, said Dahar, announcing funds worth Rs40 million in addition to those for addressing missing facilities in schools of District Malir.

"The department will release Rs2.5 billion to provide missing facilities in schools, such as the construction of boundary walls, washrooms and other work," he said.

According to the minister, the budget will be utilised before June and all deputy commissioners were being designated as project directors to monitor these development works. He said being public representatives, all town nazims, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons were supposed to visit schools and colleges regularly and monitor teachers.

"Every child of Sindh is like my own child and I will be held responsible if they do not get proper schooling," said Dahar.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2017.