KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday directed the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) to establish 300 digital ‘microschools’ to enroll 300,000 out-of-school children and hire over 600 female learning facilitators and approved Rs800 million for the purpose.

He gave these directives to the SEF while presiding over its board meeting that was attended among others by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Planning and Development Chairman Najam Shah, School Education Secretary Zahid Abbasi, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, SEF Managing Director Kazi Kabir and board members Qaisar Bengali, Dr Qazi Masood and Dr Mohammad Memon.

Microschooling, which is the reinvention of the one-room schoolhouse, employs smartphones and tablets for implementing effective learning programmes for the benefit of children from the deprived families.

The chief minister approved the expansion of the Accelerated Digital Learning Programme (ADLP) with the Teach the World Foundation. The ADL phase II would be for three years.

The CM was told that the ADLP with the Teach the World Foundation (pilot) was approved by the Board of Governors and Cabinet in 2023, earmarking Rs710 million for approximately 12,500 learners.

Mr Shah directed SEF MD Kazi Kabir to bring 300,000 out-of-school children to schools in 2025 by establishing 300 digital microschools.

He also directed the MD SEF to engage over 600 women learning facilitators for teaching.

The SEF MD told the CM that the per student cost would come to Rs2,200 in the next ADL Phase-II, therefore the CM approved Rs800 million for the SEF.

He said that there was one million enrolments in 2,734 schools, 35 peoples schools, 223 in centers and 125 microschools while 4,452 students were being given scholarships and 804 students availing the scholarships had passed out.

The chief minister was informed that at present, the SEF had officers in six regions and 23 districts and by 2025-26 it had to launch 1,000 digital classrooms and kick off learn-to-earn skill development so that passed-out children could earn their livelihood.

The education minister informed the meeting that six public schools, which were previously without proper shelter and non-functional, were being made operational through the SEF.

He said the SEF spent Rs16,000 per student per month and the annual budget of the SEF was Rs15,955 million, which was not enough.

The chief minister directed the finance secretary to review the budgetary allocations of the SEF and, in case of any shortfall, suggest ways and measures.

The CM was told that the third party had been engaged to audit the SEF accounts for the years 2021-22 to 2023-24.

The SEF chief informed the CM that the Endowment Fund of the SEF was Rs2,850 million. “So far, Rs1,218.893 million has been generated, and now the Endowment Fund has reached Rs4,068.893 million,” he said, adding that additionally, the gratuity fund had been invested, resulting in a profit of Rs52.256 million.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2024