KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday gave approval of over Rs9.59 billion estimated budget for 2018-19 along with Rs6.255bn revised estimated budget for 2017-18 of the Sindh Education Foundation.

The chief minister gave the approval of the SEF budget while presiding over Sindh SEF board of governors` meeting on Friday at the CM House.

He observed that the SEF had visibly put in commendable efforts andneeded to continue in the overall interest of the province. The foundation, through its network of 2,314 schools, had not only reached over 555,943 students but had also undertaken quality reforms, including the introduction of information and communication technology-based teaching and learning in SEF schools.

Reiterating that education was central to development, the chief minister directed the SEF to functionalise 168 viable out of 941 closed government schools of Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro, Dadu and Sujawal districts.

The meeting was attended by Education Minister Jam MehtabDahar, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, P&D chairman Mohammad Waseem, principal secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and MD SEF Naheed Shah as well as special secretary finance and the non-official members.

The chief minister said that education was top priority of his government and that he was content that the foundation was working on his agenda. `I am looking forward to see your [SEF] school at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar for street children,` he added.

Earlier, briefing the board meeting SEF MD Naheed Shah Durrani highlighted major milestones of the foun-dation, including enhancing the postprimary school portfolio; introducing adolescent and adult learning and training programme; undertaking intensive teacher training and instituting student assessments through third party.

The SEF board in its meeting discussed and approved the partnership with Sindh Rural Support Organisation and the Citizen Education Foundation, allowing the foundation to take over the earlier OMV-managed schools for the provision of quality education in desert areas of Ghotki, Salehpat and Nara on sustained basis.