A large number of male and female school children, studying at various public schools in Lyari area of the city on Friday held a protest demonstration against unavailability of "promised" free textbooks to them and changes in educational curricula without taking people into confidence.
The demonstration was held under the auspices of Education Development Forum (EDF) consisting of teachers, students and welfare organisations of Lyari Town.
They were carrying banners and placards, inscribed with demands and slogans against educational authorities of the province including Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat, Secretary Education Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha and Chairman Sindh Textbook Board (STB) Mushtaq Qureshi.
They chanted slogans against those that created "artificial" textbooks shortage and demanded higher authorities to ensure provision of free textbooks to them up to primary level.
Protesting students were of the view that due to non-provision of free textbooks and their unavailability in the market, they were badly suffering and it was feared that lot of students will lost one of their academic years because of this shortage.
Speaking on the occasion, EDF office-bearers Abdul Latif, Abdul Jalil and Shahid Shad demanded of the government to ensure publication of textbooks prior to start of academic year and do not make changes in educational curricula without taking academicians and society into confidence.
They stressed for implementation of identical and similar set of curricula all over the country and urge government to ensure and implement free provision of education up to matriculation level in Sindh.
EDF office-bearers criticising the prevailing class-based education system, further demanded of the government to take practical steps for promotion of education and literacy, making school management committees (SMCs) functional, provision of basic educational facilities at schools.
They alleged that number of ghost schools and existence of more then one educational institution in campus were increasing and demanded for suspension of corrupt education department officials besides overcoming shortage of teachers at schools.
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