Public-private initiative: SEF to renovate 392 schools across Sindh

Since July, 80% of the schools have been renovated, the rest to be completed by December.

KARACHI: At least 392 schools across Sindh are undergoing renovation by the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF).

Under the programme, Promoting Private Schooling in Rural Sindh (PPRS), the project has so far accomplished renovating 80 per cent of the schools while the remaining ones are expected to be completed by December.

The programme is a key intervention undertaken in collaboration with the World Bank in 2008 and is envisioned to span a decade. It aims to enhance the quality of education and promote long-term public-private partnerships by providing fee subsidy for every child in 1,000 private schools catering to 250,000 direct beneficiaries across Sindh.



Pulling it off

In July this year, the foundation began renovations in 393 schools located in the different PPRS districts, including Badin, Benazirabad, Dadu, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Khairpur, Larkana, Tharparkar, Sanghar, Thatta and Umerkot. Prior to the activity, all SEF regional directors shared updates with the foundation on the areas of improvement in their respective regions.

The schools were categorised by their requirements, ranging from ‘in need of minor improvements’ to ‘extensive repair necessary’ in each district. The renovation process included the beautification of the school building, increasing the availability of classrooms, provision of furniture and ceiling fans, improving building ventilation and ensuring the functionality of washrooms.

To ensure that renovations are taking place and the task is completed in the given time frame, the assistant director visited the districts and conducted numerous meetings with the entrepreneurs to be informed of the progress. The entrepreneurs who did not comply with the renovation agreement had action taken against them until the task had been completed.



Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th,2013.