Daily Times

HYDERABAD: Promising to revive the glory of government schools in the province, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah has enrolled his daughter and two nieces in a public school.

Shah enrolled daughter Kaif-ul-Wara and nieces Umeza and Aliza in Pilot Primary School which is merger unit of Meeran High School in Hyderabad. Admission forms of the three girls were personally submitted by the minister at the office of the principal Meeran school.

The minister reiterated his promise to revamp government school structure in Sindh saying that “I have proved my sincere approach that aims to promote the #LetsOwnOurPublicSchools rhetoric.”

Talking to media outside the school premises, Shah said that he had fulfilled what he had promised in the Sindh Assembly. “Change begins at home, and world is not moved by mere rhetoric but your personal examples,” he added.

“All is the matter of ownership, today I have taken step to own my government schools,” he added. “I have got my only daughter admitted in the government school to restore the lost trust in the system. If I myself do not like to get my children into government schools then who else would like to do it?” he continued.

Replying to whether he would issue orders to his department’s employees to follow the suit, he said that it is not a matter of “imposition”, but of conscience for others to follow. “Whatever I did was my personal duty, and it was just the first step towards the restoration of dilapidated system.”

“Whosoever wants to question me about the education system, he/she should first get their children into government schools. Only then they have the right to question, otherwise it would be mere political point scoring.”

Sardar Ali Shah had earlier announced that he would enroll his daughter in public school to encourage others to do so as well. Shah had also said he would hire 6,000 teachers in the first phase of his plan, while he also directed action against illegal occupation of schools.

He said basis amenities, including toilets, clean drinking water and electricity would be ensured at all public schools across the province.