Education sector needs revamp

Sindh Assembly sees heated debate on state of schools, literacy

KARACHI:

Lawmakers exchanged barbs over the state of education and literacy in Sindh, with opposition benches calling it dismal while government MPAs lauding their efforts to improve the situation.

However, both the opposition and the treasury benches stressed the need to enhance the literacy rate and revamp the education sector in the province. Taking part in the heated debate on adjournment motion moved by PPP MPA Sharmila Faruqui, the opposition members criticised the government for not focusing on education that causes most of the ills afflicting society, however the treasury benches applauded its government’s efforts to bring reforms in the sector.

Sharmila Faruqui starting the speech referred to former PM Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s policy to enhance the literacy rate by 100 per cent in the country and said, “The then PPP government led by BB had formed a commission to enhance the literacy rate, but her government was dissolved in 1996. Even after 30 years, the literacy rate is not satisfactory.”

She said that the recent floods and the earlier Covid pandemic adversely affected education in Sindh. Around Rs139 billion were needed for the rehabilitation of flood damaged schools.

The PPP MPA suggested a massive enrolment drive in the province to educate the society and enhance the literacy rate.

Leader of the Opposition Haleem Adil Shaikh while criticising the Sindh Education Department said that ghost teachers have become a challenging task for the government and most of the schools give deserted look in various districts of the province.

“Sindh Education Department has spent around Rs1,727 billion on education in the last 14 years, but its performance is worrisome. Most of the teachers are sitting abroad and getting salaries on time,” he said and referred to government data and said as many as 420,000 children are out of school. “Government-run schools have turned into sitting places for guests of local landlords,” he alleged and said thousands of schools lack basic facilities of drinking water and toilets.

Though the Sindh government maintains a gigantic education department, most of the schools have been handed over to non-government organisations.

“Recently the government has appointed teachers through IBA-Sukkur exams. I have reports that IBA-Sukkur is being manipulated and managed when it comes to teachers’ appointments,” he alleged.

Taking the floor to defend the provincial education ministry, Heer Soho of PPP said IBA-Sukkur maintains its credibility. With newly appointed teachers, the Sindh government has set the precedent of merit in the education sector, she said.

The opposition MPA Razaq Rahim from Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) suggested the education minister to keep vigil on tehsil and district education officers who according to him were involved in nepotism.

Javeed Hanif of MQM drew the speaker’s attention towards the thin attendance in the session and said, “The interest of improving the quality education and literacy can be gauged from the presence of our MPAs and ministers in this house.”

He said that even the mover of the adjournment motion has left the session after delivering the speech.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2022.