The Sindh government has given its approval for scholarships benefiting 2,723 students who are pursuing higher education. This decision was made during a board meeting of the Sindh Education Endowment Fund Trust (SEEF), which was chaired by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah.
These scholarships, approved for the academic year 2023–24, are specifically designated for students from Sindh who are currently enrolled in universities across Pakistan. Minister Shah presided over the meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the SEEF Board of Trustees.
The meeting, held in Karachi on Tuesday, saw the attendance of College Education Secretary Shahab Qamar Ansari, School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Additional Secretary Judicial & SEEF Iqbal Jamani, alongside SEEF board members and other relevant officials.
During the meeting, Education Minister Shah articulated that the Sindh Education Endowment Fund was established to support the higher education endeavors of talented students from underprivileged backgrounds. He added, “Through the SEEF scholarships, students from Sindh can pursue higher education at over 90 public and private universities across the country.”
“Our goal is to provide equal opportunities for quality education to bright students from financially challenged backgrounds,” he stated.
The board also sanctioned the renewal of scholarships for 4,877 existing students, thereby increasing the total number of beneficiaries for this academic year to 7,600.
The meeting was informed that SEEF’s total capital has reached Rs9.2 billion, with the generated profit being utilized to cover students’ fees. Over the past two years, an additional Rs2 billion has been strategically invested to further bolster the fund’s financial strength.
The board resolved to present recommendations at the upcoming meeting regarding the linkage of SEEF scholarships with university admissions. Minister Shah underscored the necessity of persuading universities to simplify their admission processes for students awaiting scholarship approval. “Many students cannot reach universities due to financial constraints. We aim to further streamline the scholarship acquisition process,” he emphasized.
He issued directives for the complete digitization of the scholarship application process, ensuring it becomes entirely paperless. A digital dashboard and an automated scrutiny system are also slated for development to enhance transparency.
Minister Shah expressed his displeasure concerning the absence of university vice-chancellors, who serve as board members, stating that their attendance and suggestions are crucial for facilitating students’ access to education.
Since its inception in 2003, the Sindh Education Endowment Fund Trust has provided support to over 37,550 students, enabling them to complete their higher education through its scholarship programs.
Girls’ Stipend Eligibility Criteria
In a separate development, the Sindh government has also approved the eligibility criteria for girls’ stipends for the academic year 2024-25, as follows:
- Only female students enrolled in schools under the administrative control of the Schools Education & Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, and whose schools have been allotted a valid SEMIS Code, will be eligible for the stipend.
- The stipend will be exclusively available to girl students enrolled in classes VI, IX, and X for the Academic Year 2024-25.
- Eligibility for the stipend also requires that girl students maintain a school attendance of 60% or more over five months of the academic year 2024-25, specifically for August, September, October, November, and December 2024.
