The Provincial Government has launched a Rs 2.3 billion of Sindh Education Reform Programme (SERP) for the infrastructure improvement in the schools. This was stated in a meeting held here on Saturday while the Sindh minister for Education, Dr Hamida Khuhro, in the chair.
The funds will be utilised in accordance with the mechanism and institutional arrangements approved by the Reform Support Unit (RSU) Screening Committee for dealing with planning, release of funds and monitoring and evaluation programme.
Dr Hamida Khuhro noted that the 25 percent of the funds would be given for shelterless schools, 25 percent for construction of additional classrooms and 50 percent to equip the schools with the missing facilities.
The total period of SERP is expected to be completed in three years, she added. The minister also assured that the problem pertaining to shortage of teachers would be resolved and that advertisement in this regard would be published in the newspapers soon.
She asked the district administration to provide latest figures of teachers needed to be recruited and pointed out that the criteria for the recruitment of teachers would be high and the new teachers would be imparted training by foreign qualified trainers. Dr Khuhro stressed upon close association among district governments and the Education Department for the successful accomplishment of SERP.
Giving details of the education uplift programmes, Secretary education Sabhago Khan Jatoi said that the funds would be spent on upgrading 475 schools across the province while facility of primary education would be made available in 136 madaris as well as on teachers training programme. Over 206 computer labs would be set up and another 1,000 schools would be linked with IT project in the second phase.