Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that 39 per cent of school-age children in Pakistan are out of school, and 39 per cent of the population faces multidimensional poverty, driven by lack of education, poor healthcare and low living standards, therefore his government has decided to invest in human and social development.

He said this while talking to a delegation from the Human and Social Development Sector of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at CM House. The ADB delegation included Director Sofia Shakil, Director Khurram Imtiaz Butt, and Mansoor Masood.

Planning & Development Minister Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, P&D Chairman Najam Shah, and CM’s Secretary Raheem Sheikh. The ADB delegation included Director Sofia Shakil, Director Khurram Imtiaz Butt, and Mansoor Masood were in attendance.

Shah said that Pakistan’s Human Capital Index (HCI) value of 0.41, due to gaps in education and healthcare, children’s productivity is limited to just 41 per cent of their potential.

Murad Shah said a large portion of our population comprises youth, and we want to introduce systems in education, health, and training that ensure employment opportunities.

The topics that came under discussion included reforms in nursing education and the introduction of scholarships to promote higher education in this field. Murad Shah highlighted the global advancements in nursing technology and expressed his government’s desire to elevate the sector to postgraduate levels, providing high-quality training and education to nursing and allied professions in health care system technicians as well.

Shah also stressed the importance of vocational education, urging ADB to assist in creating pathways for youth to secure jobs immediately after completing their education.

The meeting reviewed the draft Aide Memoire, which included consultations with the health sector, and discussed ongoing projects like the construction of new educational blocks, teacher training and the rehabilitation of schools damaged by floods.

Progress updates included new secondary school blocks being constructed in 120 schools, completion of validation surveys for flood-affected schools and teacher training programs in progress.

The ADB delegation emphasised investing in nutrition, private-sector partnerships, and improving governance. CM Murad Ali Shah concluded the meeting with a commitment to strengthening education and health systems to empower the youth and reduce poverty.