The Sindh Community Mobilization Program (CMP) in collaboration with USAID and the Program Management and Implementation Unit (PMIU) of Government of Sindh (GOS) organized two inauguration ceremonies for the newly constructed Government High School (GHS) Numaish Colony, and GHS Dodanko, both located in Sukkur district.
The schools were constructed with support from the USAID-funded Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP). Dr. Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Minister of Education, GOS; and Ms. Denise A. Herbol, Deputy Mission Director for Sindh and Baluchistan, USAID Pakistan, performed the inaugurations and co-chaired the ceremonies.
Youth performance during the GHS Dodanko inauguration ceremony
The Secretary of the School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), the Director of Education, District Administration, and USAID/USG and GOS senior officials, as well as SBEP partner representatives including the Sindh Reading Program, and the Sindh Capacity Development Program, Halcrow, were all present at the ceremonies held at GHS Numaish Colony and GHS Dodanko. The school management committees (SMCs), community members, parents, teachers, students and civil society members were also in attendance.
During the inauguration ceremonies, overviews of the schools were shared which were followed by speeches by Ms. Kaainat and Ms. Rizwana, students at GHS Dodanko and GHS Numaish Colony, respectively, who reiterated the importance of education stating, “Now, that we have a state of the art school in the village, I don’t see any reason parents shouldn’t let their girls attain their right of education” and “Humans without education are like birds without wings.” At each ceremony youth also performed a tableau showcasing the strong regional culture and a skit highlighting the importance of education.
The Minister of Education and USAID Deputy Mission Director unveil a plaque at GHS Dodanko
Ms. Herbol showed her appreciation of all the efforts made by the stakeholders involved in making SBEP a landmark of success. She said in her remarks that “USAID as well as GOS understand the importance of education and that’s why education is among the top priorities of USAID for Pakistan. We have equipped these schools with all the tools and resources necessary for enabling children to learn, grow and lead Pakistan in the future.” She further added, “Whenever I visit this part of the province, I meet with students and I can see in their eyes how eager they are to learn. By providing such schools we are offering opportunities for them to realize their dreams of learning and leading the nation.”
On both occasions, Dr. Dahar acknowledged the generous contribution of USAID and assured that GOS will leave no stone unturned to improve the quality of education across the province, especially in SBEP-focused schools. He further added that every stakeholder must play his or her part in improving the quality of education, particularly teachers and parents.
Participants of the GHS Numaish Colony inauguration ceremony
CMP is a USAID-funded program that improves school resources and encourages community support for educational reform in Sindh province while identifying and addressing primary barriers to access, particularly for female students.
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