Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said on Monday that it would be difficult to achieve target of education for all by 2015 because of faults in the system.

Private schools directed to raise education standards
Karachi, Jan 12: Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said on Monday that it would be difficult to achieve target of education for all by 2015 because of faults in the system.

He said that public and private schools were competing with one another for attracting more students by providing maximum facilities to students and teachers and advised administration of private schools to increase teachers' salaries and provide quality education to students as well as training to teachers.

He said the government and private schools management would have to get prepared for future challenges. The second regional office for solution of private schools' problems had been opened in Mirpurkhas, he added.

He said that cases would be lodged against the people who were school buildings as their autaqs. Many closed schools had been reopened with help of primary teachers association, civil society and general public, he said.

He called for putting in place accountability process in the private schools to ensure quality of education. Cash prizes and certificates would be distributed among students of private schools who would obtain good marks in Sindhi subject, he announced.

Pir Mazharul Haq announced that profiles about great educationalists including late Sachal Janjhi who rendered significant services for promoting education in Sindh, will be included in curriculum.

Speaking at the 19th death anniversary of illustrious Thari primary teacher and outstanding social worker, Sachal Janjhi, father of veteran leftist leader and politician, Comrade Jam Saqi, at Janjhi village in Chhachhro taluka on Sunday, the minister said that Sain Sachal was a model reformer.

He said that great advancement in education could be accomplished if individuals like Sain Sachal worked selflessly for the cause of education in every town and village of the province.

When reminded about his announcement eight months ago that the dilapidated building of Sachal Government Boys' High School would be reconstructed, the minister said that he admitted his fault and accused bureaucracy of being reluctant in complying with his orders.

He warned that he would take stern action against the officials who did not comply with his orders about reconstruction of the school's building.

Comrade Jam Saqi said that Sachal was not only a good teacher but he was also a model human being, whom Meenh Bai (Jam's mother) despite being disabled used to lend a helping hand in all social works.

Noted journalist Sohail Sangi said that his uncle Sain Sachal got a post office, dispensary and a girls school established in his native village, Janjhi. He donated his 15 acre land for the construction of the building of high school, he said.

Mr Sangi deplored that because of lack of interest by villagers, no new facility or institute had been established in the village after Sain Sachal's death. Material about Sain Sachal's life be included in curriculum, he urged.

Prof Mohammad Waris said that Sain Sachal was so committed to the cause of promoting education that he collected donation from the area people, got a middle school sanctioned in 1962, constructed mud-thatched "Chounras" and four rooms with sunburnt (unbaked) bricks without doors and windows but ensured that classes were held there regularly.

A large number of educationalists, officers, teachers, students and journalists from all parts of Thar participated in the ceremony and paid rich tributes to Sain Sachal for his great services for the promotion of education in Thar. Dawn