KARACHI, April 5: A survey on denationalization of educational institutions in the province has revealed that majority of parents of the students did not know details of the government’s policy and conditions pertaining to the process.

According to the answers received from parents of the students enrolled at the St Joseph’s Govt College for Women, 95 per cent of the parents understood that the denationalization or privatization meant unpredictable increase in the college fee.

In August, Sindh cabinet had decided to denationalize those colleges and schools which were taken over in 1972. So far the government has received about 65 applications, majority of which are under scrutiny, while only a couple of claimants have been informed about the government’s intention of handing over the educational premises as per their request before the commencement of the next academic session, provided they fulfilled the terms and conditions set up by the education department.

The survey carried out at the St Joseph’s College is one of the surveys that the Sindh Professors and Lecturers’ Association has planned. In all, 500 parents of the college students responded to the questionnaires that were sent to them through their wards.

86 per cent of the parents said they had admitted their children to a government college and its privatization might cause problems for them. The increase in the fee would be a big financial burden, said 88 per cent of the parents.

At least 83 per cent of the parents said an increase in the fee would adversely affect their children’s education. 82 per cent of the parents believed that denationalization or privatization of the colleges would adversely affect the access of people to college education.

A majority of the parents — 97 per cent — believed that privatization would deprive poor children of their right to education. However, 64 per cent of the parents said they did not know the details of the denationalization policy.

About 81 per cent of the parents believed that provision of education was the responsibility of the government and it should fulfil it by opening more schools and colleges in the public sector. As many as 83 per cent expressed the view that denationalization or privatization was not in the public interest and it should be stopped.