Ismail backs GCT initiative to enroll 4.2m children

Federal govt can support education through public-private partnership, says GCT CEO

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail stated that the government will fully back the Green Crescent Trust's (GCT) campaign to enroll 4.2 million out-of-school children in the province.

Attending an inauguration ceremony for a gala for students from remote parts of the province, held at an amusement park in Karachi, Ismail said that initiatives like the GCT campaign must be supported to help establish a welfare society in Pakistan.

The governor gave the GCT his full support to expand its network, adding that the government would fully back all charitable initiatives for the benefit of orphans as it would bring Pakistan a step closer to the welfare state embodied by the State of Madina. Ismail claimed that the welfare-based education of underprivileged children from Sindh is in accordance with the government's vision, as it aims to develop every part of the country evenly.

Moreover, he said, the government would also provide support to charitable campaigns promoting the education of girls from underprivileged backgrounds. While the government has been running soup kitchens and shelter homes, it would also be introducing the 'Ehsaas' programme, he added.

Also speaking on the occasion, GCT CEO Zahid Saeed expressed his gratitude to the donors and sponsors of the charitable organisation, stating that it was due to their contributions that the organisation was able to support 1,600 orphan students enrolled in over 150 charity schools.

According to Saeed, the government should declare an education emergency in the country, with the support of each province, to help manage the alarming situation of out-of-school children in the country. He maintained that the matter of education devolved to the provinces following the 18th Amendment, but the federal government could not relinquish its responsibility to provide quality education to children belonging to underprivileged backgrounds.

He went on to say that the federal government could support the cause of education through public-private partnership initiatives in Pakistan and especially in Sindh.

The CEO brought to light that 4.2 million children were out of school in Sindh alone, which was a serious challenge for the government. However, he added, the government could meet the challenge by efficiently and transparently disbursing the budget for the education sector.

Saeed further stated that the per capita income of the country would increase by five times if the government worked with dedication to improve educational standards and enroll out-of-school children.

He also shared that the GCT had begun its journey around 25 years ago, establishing schools in remote parts of Sindh where there had been none. The very first school opened by the GCT was in a remote part of Karachi's West district, with just one teacher and 50 students. He said that the enrollment at GCT schools has now increased to 29,000 students being taught by 1,400 qualified teachers, adding that they hoped to increase the number of students to 100,000 in the next five years.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2020.