Karachi: The Sindh government has handed over to private organisations the management of 13 government schools, which have recently been rebuilt by the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID).
A ceremony was held at the Chief Minister House in Karachi to sign the concession agreements with select private organisations to hand them over the management of these schools for 10 years.
The USAID has been providing financial assistance to reconstruct all 106 government schools, which had been affected by heavy floods in the province in 2010.
These schools are being reconstructed in seven districts of Northern Sindh and three districts of the southern part of the province. The schools are being rebuilt in the districts of Jacoabad, Qambar Shahdadkot, Kashmore, Khairpur, Larkana, and Sukkur of the Northern Sindh. Whereas, in southern Sindh, school reconstruction is being taking place in Malir, West and South districts of Karachi.
Apart from this, the American government through the USAID has been providing $159.2 million support for the Sindh Basic Education Programme (SBEP). The Sindh government’s share in the SBEP is $10 million.
The SBEP is aimed at improving the academic standards in the government-run schools in select areas of the province to enroll more students. The programme has a special focus on continuity of education of girl students, especially those who have dropped out of schools. It is also aimed at promoting public-private partnership, strengthening the reform process in school education, upgrading of schools, beefing up community participation, and enhancing the learning skills of the students in the selected districts of the province.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, appreciated the continued support of the American government to uplift the standard of school education in the province.
US Consul General in Karachi, Mark Stroh, reiterated the resolve of the American government to strengthen basic school education programme in Pakistan.
He said the assistance provided by the USAID would ensure that the girl students in Sindh got equal opportunities to get school education in a safe environment.
