KARACHI: Rules being framed to regulate private institutes
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, March 16: In view of unilateral and frequent increase in fees by private educational institutions in total disregard to Private Education Institutions Act 2003, the provincial government was framing rules to regulate such institutions. This was stated by Sindh Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro while responding to a question from PPP-P’s Humera Alwani during question-hour on Wednesday. These rules would be ready within a month, she said while pointing out that prior permission from the education department would be essential for deciding the fee structure of such institutions.
Mrs Alwani had asked what amount was being charged as fees from students of Habib Girls School, Garden, and PECHS Girls School respectively. She also asked about the procedure and formula and name of authority who fixed the fee structure along with criteria adopted for registration of above schools.
In her written reply the provincial minister gave the fee structure of the two institutions and said that the same had been fixed by the school administration without the approval of the education department.
Mrs Alwani was informed that Habib Girls School was charging a fee of Rs1,400 from Nursery class students and Rs1,400 plus Rs100 computer fee from primary class student. Rs1,500 plus Rs100 computer fee was being charged from students of class VI to X. At PECHS Girls School, students of Primary, Class VI-VIII and Class IX-X were being charged Rs1,300, Rs1,400 and Rs1,500 fee respectively.
Responding to a similar question from Mrs Shamma Arif Mithani, she pointed out under Section-6 of the Sindh Private Education Institutions (Regulation and Control) Amendment Act-2003, fee structure of an institution was to be fixed with prior approval of the government, criteria for registration was given in the Sindh Private Education Institutions Act. The clause (b) of Section-15 of the Act gave authority to make rules for mode and procedure to monitor and inspect an institution. The Rules “Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation & Control) 2004” were under the process of approval.
Dr Hameeda Khuhro emphasized that detailed rules were under preparation to regulate the whole functioning of private sector educational institutions. She informed the House that there was no hard and fast rule to determine the fee structure but made it clear that the law would ensure that private institutions may not resort to fee increase without permission of education department.
Anwar Ahmed Khan Mahar asked why only two lady teachers as against the vacancies for 14 were working in the Government Girls High School Bagarji, district Sukkur. Dr Khuhro explained that eight posts - two of HST and 6 JSTs were lying vacant because of non-availability of local teachers. However, two HSTs from other schools (Male side), on the demand of headmistress, were re-deployed in the Bagarji school. She said the remaining vacancies would be filled as recruitment was finalized.
To a question of Najmuddin Abro, the education minister gave details about number and enrolment of Govt Higher Secondary Schools Male/ Female functioning in Taluka Warah District Shahdadkot at Kambar as on September 2004.
Replying to a few questions of Shama Arif Mithani, the minister said that 534 government girls primary schools were under the administrative control of city district government Karachi since devolution. She gave details about nature of arrangements as have been made in government high schools of the province for teaching computer science. She said the government was trying to have the assistance of federal government for providing computers to all the schools.
About the legal procedure for the formation of syndicate of Karachi University and whether the same had been adopted in forming the existing syndicate, the provincial education minister informed the house that legal procedure had been followed in the formation of KU syndicate.
Replying to a question from Mrs Alwani who had asked why current textbooks had dropped reference to Jherk as Quaid-i-Azam’s birth place, the provincial education minister said that prior to the establishment of Sindh Textbook Board (1970), it was mentioned in the textbooks that Quaid-i-Azam was born in Jherk. In March 1962, Sindhi Adabi Board published a book titled “Sindhi Reader Book-II” which showed Karachi as the birthplace of Quaid-i-Azam. It was the only source that the Sindh Textbook Board carried the said version in its future publications.
