School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, in collaboration with UNICEF-Pakistan launches Sindh Enrollment and Retention Drive 2018

Karachi, April 30, 2018 (PPI-OT): The School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, in collaboration with UNICEF-Pakistan, launched on Monday the Sindh Enrollment and Retention Drive 2018. Chief Program Manager of Reform Support Unit Mr Mansoor Abbas Rizvi welcomed the participants. Chief Field Office UNICEF Sindh Ms Cristina Brugiolo was also present on the occasion.

Addressing the launching ceremony, School Education and Literacy Department Secretary Dr Iqbal Hussain Durrani highlighted initiatives taken by the department to support enrollment and retention in schools of the province. He said that the government was trying to provide all facilities at the schools. He called upon DEOs to work for the success of enrollment and retention drive. The secretary vowed that the department will translate all its efforts into reality.

Head of the curriculum and communication wings of the department, Dr Fouzia Khan said that the 2018 drive was aimed at to fulfil the government’s commitment to the sustainable development goals-4. She said that the government had allocated 26 per cent budget for education and hoped that this enrollment reaches 100 per cent. She said that building public opinion about government schools was important.

The message to be disseminated during the campaign is to bring all out-of-school children to schools. In this connection, all school management committees have been directed to run the campaign at the village level. The government of Sindh has increased 26 per cent budget for education as all out-of-school children could be enrolled. During the campaign, the department plans to hold a number of events to make parents and community members realise that education is the basic right of each child, regardless of gender.

It will be highlighted that the government of Sindh has provided necessary infrastructure for the enrollment of new students and retention of already registered students. The government also provides free books and stipend to girl student till matric. About 16,000 new teachers have been recruited to fill the gap of student-teacher ratio. Some 4,500 new schools have also been constructed.

For more information, contact:
Reform Support Unit (RSU)
Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh
47-E/1 – 48th Street, Block-6, PECHS, Nursery,
Shahrah-e-Faisal, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34320241-5
Website: http://www.rsu-sindh.gov.pk