KARACHI, Feb 18: The World Bank will give $400 million for the promotion and development of education in Sindh.

This was stated by country director of World Bank Pakistan Rachid Benmessaoud who called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House on Monday along with a two-member delegation.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister House, Mr Benmessaoud further said that the WB would also help in development of irrigation and agriculture in the province.

The chief minister thanked the World Bank for assistance in various fields, especially in the education, health, agriculture and irrigation sectors.

He assured the WB officials that the provincial government was paying full attention to completion of development schemes on time and as per schedule.

The chief minister said problems in promotion and development of education would be resolved.

He said recruitment of teachers in the education department was being made strictly on merit.

The government had already recruited 16,000 teachers and that 19,000 more teachers would be hired on merit, he added.

He said that educational facilities were being extended in rural and far-flung areas of the province.

Mr Shah said that despite floods and rains over the past three years, there was headway in various fields.

The World Bank country chief appreciated the policy of merit for the recruitment of teachers.

He said the WB wanted to see headway in all sectors.

Sindh finance secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch and additional chief secretary of planning and development Arif Ahmed Khan were also present on the occasion.—APP