KARACHI: Following Punjab’s successful example, the Sindh government has taken a major step to protect the eyesight of school children across the province.
The Sindh Education Department has decided to work with a non-governmental organization (NGO) to provide free eye checkups for all students in government schools.
A letter has been sent to all districts, instructing school heads to fully cooperate with the NGO. The NGO has also been given official permission (NOC) to carry out the eye screenings in schools.
According to the Education Department, students will not only get their eyes checked, but free glasses will also be provided to those who need them.
Dr. Fauzia Khan, Chief Advisor of the Curriculum Wing, said that excessive mobile phone use is affecting children’s eyesight. She urged school heads to support this program to help protect students from losing their vision.
Earlier in Punjab, the UNICEF had checked the eyesight of students in all government schools and gave free glasses to thousands of children. Under UNICEF’s School Nutrition Program, health experts also visited schools regularly to check on students’ general health. Later, the Punjab government made this a permanent part of its education system and included the health experts in the Health Department staff.
Free School Meal Program Also Launched
It is also important to note that earlier this month, the Sindh government launched a “School Meal Program” to provide free meals to children in government schools of underprivileged areas.
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The program was officially started by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah at Government Boys Primary School Murad Memon, where he personally served meals to students.
This initiative is a joint effort of the Sindh Education Department and well-known charity “Allah Walay Trust”. In the first phase, over 70,000 students in poor areas of the province will receive one free, nutritious meal every school day.
Speaking at the launch, the Education Minister said that a child’s learning ability is directly linked to their nutrition. He added that poor nutrition affects student performance, and through this program, the government aims to meet the nutritional needs of schoolchildren.
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