HYDERABAD: Girls’ education is the core of women empowerment and there is a need to invest more in girls’ education to increase female literacy rate in secondary schools for girls in rural districts of Sindh, was said by educationists, teachers and civil society members in a ceremony held in Bhatti Muhalla Girls Middle School Tando Muhammad Khan. The ceremony was conducted by Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) in collaboration with Small Grants and Ambassador Fund Program-SGAFP. SCF head Javed Hussain said that a large number of girls leave school after completion of primary education due to various factors such as poverty, schools being at a far distance and a lack of transportation facilities. He said that the model of cluster based school system, providing transportation and nutrition programmes was necessary in girls’ schools to continue retention of girls in primary and secondary schools in Sindh. He said that consequently, the SCF aims at providing a better learning environment in 20 government schools, 10 schools from TM Khan. With the objective of encouraging enrolled girls to be creative, confident and self-sufficient, while empowering them to contribute towards society as a whole. He said that 42 female students studying in sixth, seventh and eighth grades were provided with student kits including bags, shoes, uniform for winter and summer, 16 copy books, lunch boxes, stationary boxes and water bottles. School head teacher Sajida Qazi, office superintendent Ishtiaq on behalf of Tando Muhammad Khan district education officer, and Zoya Sheikh from SCF spoke on the occasion and student kids among students. Published in Daily Times, November 30th 2017.