KARACHI: Govt set to denationalize schools, colleges
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, Nov 13: Amid protests by certain quarters, the Sindh education department is all set to execute a Sindh Cabinet decision to denationalize the educational institutions, it was learnt officially.
Referring to reports that there was a conflict between the Karachi City Government and the provincial government on the issue of denationalization or retransfer of educational institutions to original parties, a senior official said the education department did not understand that the cabinet would review its decision of Aug 21.
The official said the denationalization would help improve the standard of education and educational facilities in the province.
The official confirmed that the Nazim of the city government had expressed his concern over the denationalization of educational institutions vide a letter, but said the department was of the view that it should not put up a summary before the government for a review. “Instead it should complete its actions for the implementation of a well thought-out government policy,” he added.
So far, the Sindh education department had received about 53 applications from the previous owners seeking denationalization of educational institutions in the province, and 50 cases pertain to Karachi, sources said.
The cases of colleges, including St Joseph’s College, St Patrick’s College, Sir Syed College, Delhi College, Jinnah College, PECHS College, Abdullah Haroon College, Premier College and Adamjee College have been sent to the executive district officer (education) Karachi so that these could be processed at the earliest.
If the said colleges are denationalized, it is apprehended that about 25,000 students of intermediate and degree classes, mostly from the middle income group, would have to bear the brunt after the execution of the government’s policies.
The government, in view of its financial constraints, would not be able to provide a substitute of these institutions, said a senior citizen.
The progress pertaining to denationalization of the educational institutions was reviewed at a meeting of the education department the other day. The meeting was chaired by secretary education, Nazar Hussain Mehar, and additional secretary Rais Alvi and EDO Mazharul Haq attended the meeting.
The meeting, according to sources, resolved to expedite the process of denationalization through EDOs who are supposed to scrutinise the cases and verify the details provided by the applicants and also to provide information about the existing facilities and available infrastructure, along with the number of students and teachers in a particular institution.
The EDO Karachi has been asked to start sending back cases given to him from time to time, while a maximum period of 30 days has been fixed for processing the cases.
