A-1 graders frustrated on non-payment of scholarship announced by CM   

KARACHI: A very large number of students securing A-1 grade in matric exams-2017 in Sindh province and their parents are frustrated over non-payment of Rs 1,000 stipend announced by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his budget speech of 2017-18.

The chief minister, on the floor of Sindh Assembly, had announced to double the amount to Rs 100,000 from Rs 50,000 for a student getting A-1 grade in matric or intermediate exam to encourage the intelligent and hardworking students. However, the earlier amount of the scholarship was also not given to the A-1 graders of last couple of years.

Only in Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK), 19,200 matric students got A-1 grade this year. The results were announced in the month of July and till date, there was zero progress on this account apparently.

The amount of this scholarship Rs.100,000 per student, was supposed to be distributed through the Boards of Examination of the province.

A senior official of BSEK told APP that the data/details of the A-1 graders was forwarded to the Chief Minister House's concerned section within few days after announcement of the results but the board had received no response or indication of any progress in this regard so far.

It is mentioned that the combined figure of A-1 graders of matric and intermediate exams under all the Boards of Examination in the province would become very high and Sindh government would have to allocate a big amount to fulfill its commitment.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's MPA Haji Shafi Muhammad Jamote raised the issue during the question-hour in the current session of Sindh Assembly, but Minister for Education and Literacy Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar did not reply to his query seeking details of the payment of this amount to students, if made, or any date fixed for it.

On seeking opinion of Provincial Secretary Education and Literacy Iqbal Hussain Durrani, he said it was not his domain. He, however, explained that the Chief Minister House was dealing with such things.

The students and their parents have urged the government to make the over-due payment so that they could easily manage the educational expenses.

As announced by the Chief Minister in his budget speech, this scholarship amount would encourage other intelligent students as well to work hard for their better career. Non-payment or undue delay would disappoint and frustrate the students and their parents.