Sindh announces shorter hours for government schools

KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Sardar Shah has announced a one-hour reduction in the daily working hours of government schools across the province.

The minister announced the decision through a post on his official Facebook account. The revised school timings are expected to provide some relief to students and staff amid the province’s ongoing education challenges.

Speaking at an event in Karachi, Sardar Shah acknowledged the difficulties facing the education sector. He said the government had so far been unable to formulate a uniform education policy, while the large number of children who remain out of school continues to pose a major challenge.

The minister said thousands of schools had also suffered infrastructure damage due to floods. According to him, the boundary walls of around 20,000 schools were damaged, creating additional problems for the provincial education system.

Sardar Shah also highlighted the lack of adequate funding for education in Pakistan. He said the country was among those spending the least on education and called on the federal government to allocate resources for educational centres through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

He said a large number of children were currently receiving education through community-based centres. These centres, he added, were playing an important role in providing educational opportunities to children who otherwise might remain outside the formal school system.

The minister said rising inflation had also increased the cost of operating these educational centres. Higher expenses have placed additional pressure on the government and organisations involved in providing education through community-based programmes.