Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Thursday that socio-economic, cultural and religious factors obstruct girls’ education and deprive them of opportunities to learn and develop into agents of change for our society.
“It is only through education that girls are nourished and groomed as responsible citizens, capable of playing a positive and creative role in social development,” he said while speaking at a launching ceremony of Research Study on Issues of Girls’ Education in Sindh’ conducted by Sindh Education Foundation on the initiative of provincial Ombudsman, Sindh here at Banquet Hall of the CM House.
The CM said that he assigned top priority to girls’ education and planned to allocate greater resources for the purpose.
“Obstructions to girls education – traditional administrative and financial would be removed and a conducive environment for promoting girls education would be ensured.
“It is in our national interest that this important and sensitive issue is addressed on an urgent basis with consistency and resolve to muster all the essential components for promoting girl’s education,” he said.
Importance of girl’s education can hardly be over emphasized, Mr Shah said and added, in fact, it was part of the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who wanted women development on all fronts which include education, employment, and social upliftment.
“May it be First Women Bank, first Women Police Station, Women Empowerment, or Education for girls it was the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma to take initiative,” he said and added she initiated concrete measures for implementing and realization of women’s true potential and their positive and constructive role for nation building -her vision was to invest in girl’s education being the stepping stone for empowerment of women.Mr Shah said that it was an unfortunate that despite efforts of the government the girl’s education has been lagging behind.
“The multiple causes for this situation have been aptly highlighted in the study paper,” he said and added girls must have their right to education as enshrined in the constitution and laws; otherwise, we would remain trapped in ignorance and poverty.
The CM said that he has gone through the report and read its recommendations. He advised the education department to make efforts to put the recommendation into action.
Murad Ali Shah directed the local administrations at all levels- Divisional, District, Sub-Division and Taluka to devote time and attention to ensure proper functioning of girls schools in their areas.
He directed the chief secretary to incorporate the component of smooth functioning of girls’ schools in the performance evaluation of local officers.
Supporting the idea of School Management committee (SMCs) should be headed by Mothers, the chief minister directed the Education Department to bring necessary changes in the rules to make it mandatory for the girls’ schools.
The CM said that BISP has been one of the great success stories of the Peoples Party government acknowledged by international agencies.
He added that in order to incentivize girl’s education conditional the Cash Transfers (CCT) system under BISP to be linked with the girl students’ enrolment in schools.
“The Education Dept should initiate necessary action in this regard,” he said and added a similar system to reward better performing schools on gender parity basis be introduced to create an atmosphere of healthy competition.
In High/ Secondary schools (where girls of adolescent age studying), lack of functional, private and secure washrooms and the boundary wall are major reasons which hinder girls from attending schools. It was also found that implementation of Policies and Plans is a tough and demanding task.
