32 govt schools handed over to private partners to run

Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah has appreciated the US government for its efforts to modernise education under USAID's Sindh Basic Education Programme (SBEP).

He was speaking at the ceremony of signing the concession agreements between Sindh and Education Management Organisations (EMO) at the CM's House on Monday.

The ceremony was attended by Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah, US Consul General Mark Stroh and other officials.

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Secretary School Education Akbar Laghari and office bearers from three successful EMOs, Sindh Madressah-tul-Islam Board (SMB), Dar-e-Arqam Schools and MDZed - signed the agreements to manage these schools for a period of 10 years.

Under the agreements, meant to outsource the operational management of 32 schools, including 13 USAID schools, to the private sector EMOs,  SMB will manage four newly-constructed schools through USAID support and 10 other Sindh government schools in Malir and West districts of Karachi. The Dar-e-Arqam Schools will manage four newly-constructed schools and four grouped schools in district Qambar, Shahdadkot, while MDZed will manage five newly-constructed schools and five other Sindh government schools in districts Kashmore and Jacobabad.

USAID is contributing $159.2 million for the SBEP whereas the Sindh government is also providing $10 million cost-share for the same.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2021.