Road Sector Development Directorate (RSDD), Sindh Works and Services Department and Sindh Education Foundation on Monday launched Pakistan's first Road Safety Education Programme for the province with a cost 236 million dollar funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The programme aims at educating children, assisting teachers and community members and informing pedestrians and other road users on the essentials of road safety.
231 million dollar will be spent on construction of 164km provincial highways and 1200km farm to market roads while 5 million dollar will be used for reform and safety awareness programmes.
Sindh Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Irfanullah Khan Marwat was the chief guest at the launching ceremony held here. Sindh Minister for Works and Services Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi, Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik, Sindh Chief Secretary Fazal-ur-Rehman, MD Sindh Education Foundation Professor Anita Ghulam Ali, Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Fatima Surria Bajya, Executive District Officers (EDOs) and teachers from all over the province were also present.
Marwat appreciated the participation of ADB in this programme and said the government was also committed to move forward and take initiatives for safety of masses. He also lauded the efforts of RSDD and Sindh Education Foundation and assured all possible support in this regard. Professor Anita Ghulam Ali, Ajaz Ali Khan, DG Road Sector Development Directorate and others also spoke on the occasion.
Due to lake of road safety education, road accidents were a major and growing cause of death and injury to children in developing countries like Pakistan, they noted. They urged educational institutes to create awareness and start teaching their students about road safety as our young one were less aware of the potential hazards around. They also stressed on parents to play their role in guiding their children on the proper usage of roads.