KARACHI - A high-level meeting of Sindh education department held here with provincial Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, in the chair, has unanimously approved of the formation of the Sindh Higher Education Commission. The meeting was attended, among others, by Sindh senior minister for education, Pir Mazhar-ul- Haq, Law Minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas, ACS (Finance) Muhammad Arif Khan, Advocate General Sindh Abdul Fatah Malik, Principal Secretary to Sindh CM Muhammad Siddique Memon, Secretary Law Syed Ghulam Nabi Shah, Secretary Education Mukhtiar Ahmed Soomro, Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination Kaleem Lashari. The meeting was informed that after passage of the 18th Amendment, the education was a devolved subject and Sindh has been entrusted with the task of curriculum development, Higher Education/Higher Education Commission, Dawood College of Engineering and Technology and Sindh Madarsat-ul-Islam College. It discussed matters pertaining to problems and issues and unanimously approved setting up of Sindh Higher Education Commission. The Chief Minister would be the controlling authority of the proposed Commission and will be responsible for supervising its affairs. The meeting was informed that the HEC had granted 8,000 to 10,000 scholarships to a province while only 800 scholarships were provided to Sindh. It was informed that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had also directed provinces to enact their own laws. Highlighting the salient features, provincial secretary education said these include a proposed bill, composition of Commission, procedure of meetings powers and functions of Commission and provision and utilization of funds. It was further decided that after passing of the bill all expenditures of the commission and universities would be borne by Federal Government till next NFC award. The meeting also decided to move a summary to the federal government for providing funding as per commitment, as it had stopped the funds. The meeting also approved legislation of an Act under article 25-A and it was decided to provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 5 to 16 years (for primary to secondary). The chief minister said that all ways of progress, development and prosperity lies with furtherance and promotion of education and present elected government under its 5- E programme launched by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, had committed to provide free and compulsory education to children up to matriculation. It was decided in principle to approve proposal of Act of free education and necessary law would be tabled in the provincial assembly through law department.
