Outline:
Review of School Education Department’s Annual Development Programme
The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, recently conducted a comprehensive review of the School Education Department’s Annual Development Programme (ADP), which has an allocation of Rs91 billion. During the meeting held at CM House, he urged officials to expedite ongoing projects, especially those related to school upgradation, to ensure they are completed on time.
The chief minister was briefed by several key officials, including the Minister for Education, Syed Sardar Shah, Chairman PandD Board, Najam Shah, Secretary School Education, Zahid Abbasi, and Secretary Finance, Fayaz Jatoi. The discussion focused on the progress and challenges faced in implementing various education-related initiatives across the province.
Financial Allocation and Project Progress
For the fiscal year 2025-26, the department’s ADP allocation stands at Rs17.82 billion, with an additional Rs9.33 billion allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Last year, 156 schemes worth Rs11.37 billion were successfully completed, while this year, 451 schemes are currently under execution, with 433 already underway and 8 new ones initiated. The total value of these schemes is Rs91.03 billion.
The PSDP covers 30 districts and has a total cost of Rs12.33 billion, with the federal government contributing Rs5.44 billion and Sindh contributing Rs6.89 billion. The project is scheduled for completion by June 2026. Out of the 481 schools under the PSDP, 463 have already been awarded in 45 packages, with varying levels of progress. Some schools are nearing the final stages, while others are at different phases such as plastering, roof laying, and lintel construction. All 481 schools are expected to be completed by June 2026.
Foreign-Assisted Projects Underway
In addition to the domestic initiatives, foreign-assisted projects worth Rs55.24 billion are also being implemented. These include projects supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
One such initiative involves upgrading primary girls’ schools to the elementary level in five districts: Khairpur, Naushehro Feroze, Sukkur, Larkana, and Malir. A total of Rs2.53 billion has been allocated for this purpose. Work is currently underway on 20 schools, with Lot-1 at 84% completion and Lot-2 at 47%. The target is to complete these projects by June 2026-27.
Another significant project is the Flood Response Reconstruction Projects, covering six districts at a cost of Rs1.56 billion. Nine schools are currently under construction, with 32% physical progress achieved so far.
The Sindh Secondary Education Improvement Project (SSEIP), funded by the ADB, is worth Rs13.1 billion. It aims to construct 117 secondary schools and provide teacher training. So far, Package-1 has reached 77% progress, Package-2 is at 38%, and Package-3 is at 28%. Components related to teacher training and examination reforms are nearly complete.
Additionally, the SSEIP- Additional Financing (Flood Component) is a $302.5 million project aimed at rebuilding 722 climate-resilient schools in five flood-hit districts. Contracts for 248 schools were awarded in February 2025, with further packages currently under process.
Early Learning Enhancement Through Classroom Transformation
The SELECT (Early Learning Enhancement Through Classroom Transformation) initiative includes professional development (CPD) training for 21,500 teachers, distribution of 214,000 learning materials, and the upgradation of 295 primary schools to the elementary and secondary levels.
Construction is currently underway in 286 schools across 12 districts. The chief minister emphasized the need to prioritize upgradation work in the Mirpurkhas Division, ensuring that 15 schools are completed by December 2025 and at least 200 schools are delivered by April 2026. “Education is our top priority, and we cannot afford delays,” he stated during the meeting.