Chief secretary seeks reports on performance of public schools, colleges

Issues directives for comprehensive surveys to improve education standards across the province

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah sought reports on Monday regarding the performance of government colleges, cadet colleges, and public schools, including those running under the 'adopt a school programme,' across the province. Shah noted that quality education was one of the fundamental requirements for the progress and development of society.

Presiding over a review meeting on the performance of the school and college education departments, he said that the education department, in collaboration with Sukkur Institute of Business Administration (SIBA) and Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) should review the progress, standard, and issues faced in educational institutions, and submit reports within a month for further action. The performance of SIBA, SEF and educational intuitions running under the 'adopt a school programme' also came under review at the meeting.

SIBA Vice Chancellor Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui informed the meeting that the faculty strength of the university included 76 PhDs, 64 MPhils and 44 Bachelors and Masters, and the institute is also affiliated with seven Chinese universities. Besides, SIBA is developing a 900 kilowatt (KW) solar power plant with a productive capacity of 135,000 units monthly at Rs1.29 per unit, he said.



Siddiqui informed the meeting that a Chinese language centre is also functional at the university along with a Talent Hunt Programme (THP) under which over 300 students are awarded scholarships annually, and there is also a mobile laboratory a bus aboard which various laboratory tests are conducted, under the college administration.

SEF Managing Director Naheed Shah Durrani informed the meeting that over 500 schools, including 100 in Karachi, are endeavouring to strengthen their education standard. She briefed the meeting on the state of a few adopted schools as well.

School Education and Literacy Department Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervaiz and College Education Secretary Parvez Ahmed Seehar briefed the meeting about public schools and cadet colleges, respectively.



The facilities of Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA) were reviewed at the meeting as well.

Concluding the meeting, Shah asked the secretaries of schools and colleges to conduct a comprehensive review survey of public schools, cadet colleges and STEVTA institutes. The report should include the dates of establishment of the institutions, strength of staff and students and performance status, he directed adding that it should be submitted within a month so a proper line of action can be adopted accordingly.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2019.