Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced a strategic focus on human capital development, aiming to empower youth through advancements in education, healthcare, and vocational training. Highlighting pressing challenges, he pointed out that 39 percent of school-age children in Pakistan remain out of school, while 39 percent of the population faces multidimensional poverty due to inadequate education, poor healthcare, and low living standards.
The chief minister made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation from the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Human and Social Development Sector at the CM House on Thursday. The delegation included Director Sofia Shakil, Director Khurram Imtiaz Butt, and Mansoor Masood. Prominent provincial officials, including Planning & Development Minister Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, and P&D Chairman Najam Shah, also participated in the discussion. Murad Shah pointed to Pakistan’s Human Capital Index (HCI) score of 0.41, which reflects significant gaps in education and healthcare, limiting children’s productivity to only 41% of their potential.
“A large portion of our population comprises youth,” Shah said. “We aim to establish systems in education, health, and training that create real employment opportunities.” The conversation included proposals for reforms in nursing education, with plans to introduce scholarships to support higher studies in the field.
Shah underscored the importance of aligning Sindh’s healthcare training with global advancements, aiming to elevate nursing and allied health professions to postgraduate levels. “Providing quality training for health technicians and system professionals is critical for improving the healthcare sector,” he noted.
The chief minister stressed the need for vocational education and urged the ADB to support programs that enable young people to secure jobs immediately after completing their training. Progress on ongoing initiatives was reviewed, including the construction of secondary school blocks in 120 schools and rehabilitation efforts for flood-damaged educational facilities. Teacher training programs are also underway, with validation surveys for affected schools completed. The ADB delegation highlighted key areas for investment, including nutrition, partnerships with the private sector, and improved governance. Murad Ali Shah concluded the meeting by reaffirming his government’s commitment to strengthening Sindh’s education and healthcare systems. “Empowering the youth and reducing poverty through targeted investments in human development remains our top priority,” he stated.
