Sindh Govt Approves Scholarships for Higher Education

The Sindh government has given the go-ahead for scholarships benefiting 2,723 students pursuing advanced studies. This decision was reached during a board meeting of the Sindh Education Endowment Fund Trust (SEEF), presided over by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah.

The scholarships, sanctioned for the 2023–24 academic year, are specifically for students from Sindh who are currently enrolled in various universities nationwide. Minister Shah headed the meeting as the Chairman of the SEEF Board of Trustees.

The meeting took place in Karachi this Tuesday and included the attendance of College Education Secretary Shahab Qamar Ansari, School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Additional Secretary Judicial & SEEF Iqbal Jamani, along with SEEF board members and other key officials.

During the meeting, Education Minister Shah emphasized that the Sindh Education Endowment Fund was created to aid the higher education aspirations of talented students from underprivileged backgrounds. He noted, “Through SEEF scholarships, students from Sindh are enabled to pursue higher education at over 90 public and private universities throughout the country.”

“Our objective is to ensure equitable access to quality education for promising students facing financial hardships,” he stated.

The board also sanctioned the renewal of scholarships for 4,877 continuing students, bringing the total number of scholarship recipients this year to 7,600. Attendees were informed that SEEF’s total capital has reached Rs. 9.2 billion. The returns from this fund are utilized to cover students’ educational expenses. Over the past two years, an additional investment of Rs. 2 billion has been made to further bolster the fund.

The board agreed to present proposals in the next session regarding the integration of SEEF scholarships with university admissions processes. Minister Shah stressed the importance of encouraging universities to simplify their admission procedures for students awaiting scholarship confirmation. He stated, “Many capable students are unable to attend universities due to financial difficulties. We are committed to further optimizing the scholarship award process.”

He also called for the complete digitization of the scholarship application process to eliminate paperwork. The development of a digital dashboard and an automated review system will also be pursued to promote transparency.

Minister Shah voiced his disappointment at the absence of university vice-chancellors, who are board members, asserting that their presence and input are crucial to facilitating students’ access to education.

Since its inception in 2003, the Sindh Education Endowment Fund Trust has facilitated the higher education of over 37,550 students through its scholarship programs.