KARACHI, Aug 2: The district coordination officer, Karachi, has invalidated the exercise undertaken so far in regard to a centralized purchase of furniture and other items for government schools from School Management Committee (SMC) funds, it is learnt on authority

In a notification the caretaker and DCO of the city government, Fazlur Rehman, on Tuesday observed that the distribution or disbursement of funds under SMC for government schools of Karachi shall be made strictly in accordance with the system or rules notified by the Sindh education department.

Earlier it was reported that a few of the district governments had moved for a direct and bulk procurement of items on behalf of schools, instead of allowing the schools to utilize the SMC funds on need basis. The Sindh education department had held the district governments’ act in question a violation of rules.

The Karachi district government had invited tenders from firms and manufacturers for miscellaneous items and furniture through newspapers on June 30 and it was likely to award the supply contract to the lowest bidders in the last week of July, said a source in the government.

As a second thought, now the whole exercise of tender and purchase stood withdrawn and SMC funds meant for 2004-05 would now probably be sent to all schools in a month time, said a source in the city government’s education department, adding that since education officer would be busy in lately launched enrolment campaign and the local body elections, things can be expedited only after August.

In the meantime, the DCO’s notification said that the official orders pertaining to the appointment of the tender opening committee and purchase committee stood cancelled, while tender notice invited sealed tenders for purchase of miscellaneous items/furniture, published in national dailies shall stand as withdrawn.

The notification further said that tenders received and opened on July 14 also stood scrapped.

In another development on Tuesday, the Sindh education department, which provides funds to the SMCs, asked the district governments of Dadu and Karachi to inform it that under what authorities and rules they had moved for the utilization of SMC funds all by themselves.

It was said in a letter, copies of which had also been given to the EDOs (education) that only the SMCs were entitled to utilize the school management committee funds.

For the year 2004-05, the Sindh government has released an amount of Rs500 million to district governments of the province as SMC funds, which were received by all districts about seven months back.

The SMCs, while utilizing the funds placed in their account on need basis, are required to follow priorities like appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff, textbooks, teacher training, drinking water, electricity, fans, toilets, shelter, repair maintenance, additional classrooms, furniture, teaching aids for students and teachers, added a source.