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Karachi, December 05, 2012 (PPI-OT): Chief Minister Sindh Syed aim Ali Shah today presided a high level meeting of Sindh Education department at C.M House. The meeting was attended by Senior Minister for Education Pir Mazharul Haq, Minister Law Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Minister Information Sharjeel Enam Memon, Chief Secretary Sindh Raja Muhammad Abbas, ACS (Finance) Muhammad Arif Khan, Advocate General Sindh Abdul Fatah Malik, Principal Secretary to C.M Sindh Muhammad Siddique Memon, Secretary Law Sindh Syed Ghulam Nabi Shah, Secretary Education Mukhtiar Ahmed Soomro, Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination Kaleem Lashari, and others.
The meeting was informed that after passing of 18th amendment, education is a devolved subject and province of Sindh has been entrusted tasks of curriculum development, Higher Education / Higher Education Commission, Dawood college of Engineering and Technology and Sindh Madarsat-ul-Islam college.
The meeting discussed matter pertaining to problems and issues and unanimously approved to constitute Sindh Higher Education Commission, for which the Chief Minister Sindh will be the controlling authority, who will supervise the affairs of the commission.
The meeting was apprised that the HEC has granted eight to ten thousand scholarships to a province while only 800 scholarships were provided to Sindh Province. It was informed that Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan has also directed provinces to enact their own laws.
Secretary Education presented silent features of the proposed bill including composition of Commission, procedure of meetings powers and functions of Commission, provision and utilization of funds, etc. It was informed that Higher Education Commission is receiving its share from Federal Constituted Fund province are not being released its share. It was further decided that after passing of the bill all expenditures of the commission and universities will be borne by Federal Government till next NFC award.
The meeting also decided to move a summary to Federal Government for providing funding as per commitment, as Federal Government has stopped the funds. The meeting also approved for legislation of an Act under article 25-A and it was decided to provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 5 to 16 years (i-e for primary to secondary).
Chief Minister Sindh said that all ways of progress, development and prosperity lies with furtherance and promotion of education and present elected government under its 5- E programme launched by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, had committed to provide free and compulsory Education to children up to metric.
The meeting also proposed to provide on managements of private schools to ensure 10% of children with free of fees etc in that institution. It was decided in principle to approve proposal of Act of free education and necessary law will be presented in the provincial assembly through law department.
For more information, contact:
Mr. Allah Bachayo Memon
Press Secretary
Chief Minister House
Tel: +9221 99202019
Cell: +92300-3524057 (Ext: 336)