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Saturday February 15, 2025

Education minister orders increasing school enrolment to 6m

By News Desk
July 30, 2024
Sindh Minister for Education and Mines & Minerals Syed Sardar Ali Shah seen in this image on April 11, 2024. — Facebook/Syed Sardar Ali Shah
Sindh Minister for Education and Mines & Minerals Syed Sardar Ali Shah seen in this image on April 11, 2024. — Facebook/Syed Sardar Ali Shah

Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah has directed his department to increase school enrollment to six million, open 2,170 viable schools under the placement plan, and remove biometrics of 1,700 teachers from non-viable schools.

He issued these instructions while chairing a meeting on Monday in Karachi. The meeting was attended by Secretary School Education Sindh Zahid Ali Abbasi, Special Secretary Education Syed Junaid Ahmed, Additional Secretary Ghulam Akbar Barhamani, Chief Programme Manager RSU Dr Junaid Ali Samoo, DG Monitoring and Evaluation Zain Ansari, Director HR Kishore Kumar, Data Analyst Ghazi Mahar, and other officials.

The meeting discussed the teacher-to-student ratio, opening of closed schools, and increasing enrolment ratio. The minister was informed that over 7,500 schools have been opened in Sindh due to recent teachers’ recruitments. Most schools were previously closed due to teacher retirements or deaths, but 2,170 schools will now be opened under the proposed placement plan.

The meeting was briefed on the status of schools in deprived Talukas, where 153 schools will be opened after a court decision regarding recruitments. Additionally, around over 10,000 schools in Sindh have been helped to open due to new recruitments.

Shah stated that the recruitment of 60,000 teachers on merit and the opening of 10,000 schools are a significant achievement of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s government. He emphasized that the placement plan process will continue, ensuring that schools remain open even in the case of a teacher’s retirement or death.

After all schools are opened, the next placement phase will be decided based on teacher-students ratios. The minister directed launch of an enrolment drive, aiming to increase enrolment to six million students. He stressed the need to upgrade schools according to student ratios and prevent dropouts.

The meeting revealed that biometrics of 1,700 teachers have been completed in non-viable schools. The minister instructed that action be taken against directors and DEOs if they were found involved in appointments of teachers to non-viable schools.

Furthermore, it was reported that 2,048 employees have not complied with biometric registration as ordered. The education minister directed that departmental action be taken against these employees. He also ordered that complaints regarding biometric registration of new teachers be resolved promptly to ensure uninterrupted teaching process. Overall, the meeting focused on key strategies to improve education in Sindh, including increasing enrolment, opening new schools, and optimizing teacher placements.