Karachi, In a significant step towards improving education in Sindh, Custodian Chief Minister Justice (R) Maqbool Baqir led a ceremony to distribute free textbooks to school children in Landhi. This function, aimed at distributing the final part of textbooks published by the School Education Department, was organized at the Sindh Textbook Board warehouse in Gaddafi Town Ground, Landhi Industrial Area. The event was attended by Education Minister Rana Hussain, Sindh Textbook Board Chairman Agha Sohail, education department officials, and parents.
According to Sindh Chief Minister House, the distribution of textbooks marks a critical step in addressing the delays in course completion due to the previous lack of textbooks. He expressed gratitude for the event and urged teachers to work diligently to make up for lost time. Justice Baqir also highlighted the broader challenge facing the nation, emphasizing that Pakistan lags behind other developing countries in various sectors. He stressed the importance of improving the education system, calling on teachers, academicians, parents, and civil society to play their part in this endeavor. Quoting Mark Twain, he reiterated the value of education, declaring that access to education is a fundamental right for children.
During the ceremony, Provincial Education Minister Rana Hussain spoke about her efforts in ensuring the publication of the textbooks. She proposed to the Chief Minister that the academic session should start in April instead of August to facilitate homework and studies during the summer vacation. Dr. Hussain also suggested that textbooks be collected back from students at the end of the session to ensure efficient use and distribution for future sessions. This proposal aims to maintain the books as government property and manage the availability for subsequent student enrollments.
The program concluded with the Chief Minister distributing the free textbooks among the students and inaugurating a project to ensure their delivery to districts where they are needed. This initiative represents a significant effort by the Sindh government to address educational challenges and improve access to learning materials for students.