The Sindh budget

The government of Sindh has finally paid attention to the education sector. The chief minister of Sindh, in his budget speech, laid emphasis on investing in schools. While at present, the deplorable condition of education in Sindh can be gauged from the fact that the government has failed to curb copy culture during examinations. From copy culture to obsolete syllabi, slapdash utilisation of funds, lack of transparency in recruitment of teachers, untrained teachers and many more such problems and challenges haunt education system of this province. In such crises, mere 24 percent increase in budget does not solve the riddle. We have to look for the permanent solution for these challenges.

The provincial government can learn something from the example of Germany. Its industrial strength is because of its effective education system. A large number of high school students in Germany join vocational training centres and get relevant apprenticeship. These interns aged 15 to 16 spend more time in the workplace receiving on-the-job training and within three years they are guaranteed a full-time job. It is by these practical strategies that unemployment is decreased, literacy rate is augmented and eventually nations prosper. The Sindh government needs to realise that it is vital to uphold the education sector if it wants the province to progress.

Izhar Hussain

Karachi