KARACHI, July 28: The teachers of government colleges and student groups have opposed the Sindh government's decision regarding denationalization of two city colleges, and have demanded withdrawal of the decision.

They clarified in separate statements that they would resist any move of the government to denationalize educational institutions, as they believed such measures were tantamount to depriving thousands of students from getting quality education and teachers of employment.

Reacting on the government's decision, which they termed "a decision taken in haste and in a whimsical way", the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association, and the College Principals Association announced to convene emergency meetings of their respective bodies to decide a future line of action.

Under a policy adopted by the Sindh government in 2001, the claimants for nationalized institutions were required, among other prerequisites, to establish titles, retain teachers for one year, pay 50 per cent of employees' golden handshake money, not to charge any added tuition fees, and to use the premises for imparting education only.

According to latest developments, the government on Wednesday agreed to relax certain terms and conditions in the case of the Catholic Education Board, which wanted denationalization of their two educational institutions - St Joseph's College for Women and St Patrick's College - located in Saddar.

The government has also decided not to demand golden handshake money for staff of the said colleges at the time of their denationalization, it was learnt. Some 4,500 students were enrolled, besides 200 teaching and non-teaching staff at the two colleges.

The private party under the clause on employees retention would have to pay Rs26 million per year, said a source in the education department. Leaders of student bodies fear that the amount required for salaries and allowances of teachers would probably be recovered from students by taxing them exorbitantly under tuition and other heads.

A source in the city government's education department said that about 2,500 students were admitted to first year classes at the said colleges every year, under the centralized admission policy of the government.

If the two colleges were taken off the city government's list with immediate effect, it would be very difficult for the city government to accommodate such a big lot of students, including those who secure flying marks in SSC examinations, at the colleges under its control.

At a press conference, the SPLA Karachi leaders said the education department officials had forwarded the relaxation plea of the Catholic Board of Education to the Sindh cabinet without taking into consideration stakeholders in the said colleges - teachers, students, and their parents.

"We had opposed the denationalization move on various occasions in the past, and moved the court of law as well, following which we were told that the government had no intention of implementing its decision regarding denationalization of the educational institutions, said Mirza Athar Hussain and Manzoor Hussain Chisti, who led the press conference.

They said the government had moved on the issue in a haste, without considering ground realities. The government's decision is sure to cause unrest among stakeholders and affect academic peace at educational institutions in the city, remarked the teacher leaders.

They saw no valid ground for the denationalization of St Joseph's and St Patrick's colleges. "The St Joseph's is already delivering a 100 per cent result in examinations and as such it is illogical to say that denationalization was aimed at enhancing the standard of education there," they mentioned.

In the meantime, the president of SPLA, Sindh, Prof Riaz Ahsan, said that teachers were very much clear on the issue, and they would not accept denationalization of the said institutions or any other ones at any cost. "We are convening a meeting of the central executive body of the association to decide a future line of action in the coming week," he informed.

While the general secretary of the College Principals Association, Prof Anis Ahmad, told Dawn that the government's decision was inappropriate, and would generate strong opposition.

"If the government is bent upon handing over buildings of the two colleges to the Catholic board, it should also arrange for shifting the colleges to other premises, while retaining their original names."

Meanwhile, the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) has strongly condemned the government over its decision to hand over St Joseph's and St Patrick's colleges to the Catholic Education Board, and warned of strong resistance and protest, adds PPI.

An IJT spokesman alleged that Federal Education Minister Zubaida Jalal and Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro had taken the decision at the behest of their foreign lords.

He added that they first modified the curricula due to external pressure, and were now trying to hand over educational institutions to the Catholic board, which would be strongly resisted.

The IJT alleged the government of privatizing educational institutions to get rid of the responsibility of education. It added that the move would make education costly and impossible for students from lower and middle class to get quality education. The student group demanded of the Sindh government to withdraw the decision of denationalization of the said colleges.