The Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), a major arm of the Government of Sindh for Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in the Education Sector, signed contracts with Sukkur IBA Community Colleges & Schools and Public Schools of Gadap, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad for the provision of quality post primary education to 970 high achieving students under Phase-1 of the GoS approved School Education Scholarship Program (SESP).
The ceremony was held on Monday, September 10, 2018, at SEF’s Head Office in Karachi. The event was attended by Vice Chancellor, Sukkur IBA University, Prof. Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui; Chairman Public School Gadap, Mr. Muhammad Suleiman Shaikh, Principal Public School, Gadap, Mr. Muhammad Yusuf Shaikh; Commissioner Hyderabad, Mr. Abdul Waheed Shaikh; Members of the SEF Board of Governors, Dr. Qazi Masood Ahmed and Mr.Hussnain Qamar Shah, Managing Director, SEF, Ms. Naheed Shah Durrani, Deputy Managing Director SEF, Mr. Rafique Mustafa Shaikh and other officials of the Sindh Education Foundation.
The Scholarship has been provided to 970 high achieving students (75% students of SE&LD run schools and 25% students of Foundation (SEF) Assisted Schools) belonging to all 29 districts of the province who have been selected on the basis of the SE&LD’s SAT/ SEF’s Assessment Results (through third Party) and Entry test of the shortlisted students by the Partner Institutions for pursuit of their post primary education up to Grade 12 at the reputable public sector institutions of the province under SESP phase-1.
Member of the SEF Board of Governors, Mr.Hussnain Qamar Shah appreciated the initiative and expressed that we have yet to make significant progress in making our education system more responsive to the needs of students. He expected that the Scholarship Program shall nurture the much-needed human capital for social & economic development in the province and will eventually lead to the strengthening of the economy of the country.
Speaking on the occasion, the VC Sukkur IBA University, Mr. Nisar Ahmad Siddiqui said that the initiative is expected to create equitable opportunities for less privileged yet academically brilliant students across the province. He hoped that it would evolve a competitive environment in SE&LD and SEF schools, i.e. amongst the overall fraternity of public school teachers, students and SEF partners with high probability of positive impact on students’ performances and overall academic environment of the Government of Sindh Schools. Sukkur IBA University Community Colleges will be making extra efforts to prepare Foundation courses for these students to bring them at par with other students within next few years.
The Ex Federal Minister for Education and Principal Public School Gadap, Muhammad Yusuf Shaikh, said it was a highly commendable initiative on the part of the Government of Sindh to reach out to students from all parts of the province and to connect them to reputable institutions. He said the Public School Gadap, is making special arrangements for the students’ lodging/ boarding and they will be looking forward to Government’s support on the side of infrastructure development for expanding intake in coming years.
Commissioner Hyderabad, Mr. Abdul Waheed Shaikh who is also the Chairman of Public Schools Mirpurkhas & Hyderabad, praised the efforts of the Foundation and stressed upon the need of working together of all the stakeholders in the face of the prevailing challenges. He expressed that these challenges also provide us with the opportunities to work together and build a better future for our youth.
The Managing Director, Sindh Education Foundation, Ms. Naheed Shah Durrani, in her concluding remarks, thanked the participants and expressed that the Foundation looks forward to continue playing an active role in expanding the reach out of not just education but quality education to all corners of the province with the resources available to the Foundation