Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) to establish 300 digital ‘micro-schools’ to enroll 300,000 out-of-school children in the province.
To support this initiative, the Chief Minister has approved a budget of Rs800 million and plans to hire over 600 female learning facilitators.
These directives were given during a recent SEF board meeting, which was attended by key government officials, including the Education Minister, Chief Secretary, Planning and Development Chairman, School Education Secretary, Finance Secretary, SEF Managing Director, and board members.
The Chief Minister also approved the expansion of the Accelerated Digital Learning Programme (ADLP) in collaboration with the Teach the World Foundation. The second phase of the ADLP is scheduled to span three years. The initial ADLP pilot, approved by the Board of Governors and Cabinet in 2023, had a budget of Rs710 million to support around 12,500 learners.
Shah has instructed SEF Managing Director Kazi Kabir to ensure the enrollment of 300,000 out-of-school children by 2025 through the new digital micro-schools. Additionally, over 600 female learning facilitators will be hired for this project.
Kabir informed the Chief Minister that the per-student cost in the next phase of the ADLP will be Rs2,200, leading to the approval of the Rs800 million budget for the SEF.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister was updated on the SEF’s current operations. The SEF manages one million students across 2,734 schools, 35 public schools, 223 learning centers, and 125 micro-schools. The SEF also provides scholarships to 4,452 students, with 804 having already graduated.
The Chief Minister was further informed about the SEF’s plans to launch 1,000 digital classrooms and implement skill development programs by 2025-26 to enhance employable skills among graduates. He noted that the SEF has revitalized six previously non-functional public schools.
