Dropout rate in remote areas alarming: Pir Mazharul Haq

Sindh government planning hostel facility for female teachers to motivate them, says education minister.

KARACHI: Senior Minister for Education and Literacy Pir Mazharul Haq has said that the dropout rate in remote areas of Sindh is alarming and that the education department is trying hard to provide opportunities to arrest the dropout rate.

Addressing an Advocacy seminar on school-health settlements as the chief guest on Wednesday, the minister said that around 6,000 elementary/high schools were needed to cope with the situation.

He added that a hostel facility was also being planned for female teachers in remote areas to motivate them to work. “I have directed the education department to make health education an essential part of curriculum and all stakeholders should be taken on board in this regard.”

He expressed his dissatisfaction over spending the lowest fraction of the GDP on education in Pakistan and pointed out that our neighboring countries were spending more money on education. More funds were needed to provide basic facilities to the children, he reminded.

The minister said that environmental education, population education and health education should be a part and parcel of curriculum and it was the need of the hour to create awareness among teachers and students so that they might spread the message.

Suggesting that education was the key to a healthy, prosperous and tolerant society, Haq said his department “is committed to establishing healthy, non-aggressive, peaceful and tolerant society.”

He said that all primary schools needed upgrades and added that the Sindh Education Foundation was providing subsidy to 1,300 private schools in the rural areas to enhance the literacy rate.