The Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has inaugurated 49 digital classrooms and 20 satellite schools as part of a program aimed at expanding access to education for deaf and differently-abled children across the province.
The facilities, launched at the Government Special Education and Rehabilitation Complex in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, are expected to benefit about 1,230 children.
The 49 digital classrooms, located at 37 Special Education and Rehabilitation Centers, will serve around 754 deaf students. A further 476 children are expected to benefit from the 20 satellite schools.
The initiative has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) in collaboration with Deaf Reach and the Family Educational Services Foundation (FESF).
A new training program for sign-language teachers has also been launched. Officials said it would strengthen teachers’ skills and promote Pakistan Sign Language as an important part of inclusive education.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chief minister said the newly established digital classrooms would bring modern learning tools, smartboards, e-learning resources and technology-enabled education closer to students regardless of where they live.
This training program will strengthen the capacity of our teachers and promote Pakistan Sign Language as an important tool for inclusive education,” he said.
The chief minister reiterated that the Sindh government remained committed to the welfare of approximately 20,000 students enrolled in 67 specialized institutions across the province.
He said the government was providing rehabilitation, physiotherapy, speech therapy, transportation, nutritious meals and a monthly stipend of Rs3,000 free of cost, while also supporting partner organizations through grant-in-aid programs.
DEPD Secretary Tuaha Ahmed Faruqui said demand for specialized education was increasing. He said about 500 students were currently enrolled at two government facilities in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, while nearly 810 children were waiting for admission.
He said the department’s aim was not only to increase enrolment but also to help children develop communication skills, confidence and vocational abilities.
Faruqui added that DEPD, with the support of the Sindh government and 140 partner organizations, had facilitated thousands of differently-abled persons through educational support, rehabilitation services and the provision of assistive devices.
Speaking through a virtual presentation, Deaf Reach founder Richard Geary said the new digital classrooms and satellite schools could help children in remote communities’ access specialized education without having to overcome the usual geographical barriers.
The program is being supported by the Sindh government and partner organizations, with officials saying further expansion of technology-enabled education services is planned.
Murad Ali Shah later visited classrooms at the complex, where he met students and teachers and reviewed teaching, rehabilitation and skills-development programs.
The event concluded with the symbolic virtual inauguration of the digital classrooms and satellite schools across Sindh, marking a major expansion of technology-enabled and inclusive education services in the province.
