SHIKARPUR: A seminar entitled ‘Sindh Enrollment and Retention Drive 2018 Phase II’ was organised on Sunday in Karachi by the Sindh School Education and Literacy Department (SELD) in collaboration with UNICEF-Pakistan and Reform Support Unit (RSU) to highlight initiatives taken by the education department to increase the literacy rate in Sindh. Reportedly, SELD secretary Aalia Shahid was the chief guest, while RSU chief Hussain Soomro, education department curriculum and communication wings head Dr Fouzia Khan, UNICEF chief field office Ms Cristina Brugiolo were the honourable guests on the occasion. Meanwhile, the representatives delivered speeches and emphasised on the significance of the drive by demonstrating successful outcomes of the Sindh Enrollment and Retention Drive Phase-I which was launched on April 30, 2018. The drive comprised of enrollment awareness walks, radio campaign and door-to-door awareness drive in a bid to improve enrollment and retention rates in the schools of the province. Consequently, enrollment of 490,163 students including 305,261 boys and 184,902 girls has been reported by 68.96 percent of the total schools, whereas the data of 13,610 schools are currently being processed with an expected increase of 280,000 fresh enrollments, thereby totaling the enrollment number to 770,163 students, a significant rise of 20,000 students as compared to the previous year’s statistics. With an aim to enhance effectiveness of the drive during its second phase, the entire action plan has been prepared as Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been given to the head teachers and members of School Management Committee (SMC). They are tasked to push the enrollment and retention rate to 100 percent using social mobilisation, door-to-door visits, enrollment awareness walks, announcements in mosques and distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials amongst the villagers and rural population. The message to be disseminated during the campaign at the village level is to bring all out-of-school children to schools. Speaking on the occasion, Shikarpur District Education Officer (DEO) Naveed Alam Abro emphasised on the importance of education, and termed education as ‘the third eye of human being’ and said that every child has a right to acquire education. He said that effective measures need to be formulated, adopted and implemented to ensure ‘education for all’ on the priority basis. He gave suggestions in this regard and assured teachers that he would play a vital role to resolve outstanding issues of Shikarpur District. Besides, other district education officers including Akhtar Hussain Korejo, Azhar Hussain Qazi were also present on the occasion. Published in Daily Times, August 20th 2018.