KARACHI, Oct 10: Some applications have been received at the Sindh secretariat regarding denationalization of educational institutions, the Executive District Officer, Education Prof M. Mazharul Haque, said here on Wednesday.

He said it had been decided that those previous owners, whether individuals, trusts or legal heirs, who would apply for return of their educational institutions, would be given back the same.

Regarding the privatization of the Saifee Polytechnic, he said a memorandum of understanding would be signed with the previous owners first.

The EDO, Education, stated that the previous owners had already promised that they would construct a building where the polytechnic would be shifted.

He said the construction would be completed by the year 2003 after which the shifting would take place.

It has been decided that the building, that would be thus vacated, would be utilized for the educational purposes.

In reply to a question, Prof Mazhar said that the process of admission to the first year classes in the colleges had been delayed by about 20 days because of the work load.

The EDO was of the view that the centralized education policy was a good approach and he favoured it.

He said owing to the CAP there had been an improvement in the admission process as well as towards the distribution of seats. “Now the students are being enrolled in the colleges where no body was seeking admission in the past,” he added.

Prof Mazhar said 75 per cent attendance had already been made mandatory by the provincial government.

He urged the parents to meet the concerned principals and teachers to know about the attendance and academic performance of their children.

The EDO was of the view that the meeting of the Parents- Teachers Associations, re-named as Schools-Colleges Management Committee, should be held in the afternoon. — APP