May 04, 2007	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, May 3: The Senate standing committee on education, science and technology has asked the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) to set up a separate board of governors to effectively run its educational institutions.

Chairperson of the committee Senator Razina Alam Khan told Dawn that all the committee members at a meeting on Thursday had agreed that the foundation should have an independent BoG to look after its 24 schools and colleges in the country.

She said at present a division of the OPF managed its educational facilities, but it seemed to have faulted in successfully running them.

A committee member also pointed towards some areas in Balochistan from where a considerable number of people were working abroad but which had no OPF school or college. The OPF was asked to extend its educational facilities to such places and give admission to children of overseas Pakistanis on a priority basis.

When her comments were sought on the ongoing crisis at the OPF Girls College, F-8/2, where over 150 contract teachers were demanding regularisation of their services, she said the issue did come up for discussion and the committee asked the OPF officials present on the occasion to resolve the matter without any further delay.

She said State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Raza Hayat Harraj, who also attended the meeting, argued that the OPF had extended every possible help to the protesting teachers. They have been given age relaxation so that they could compete with the new applicants; however, no compromise will be made on educational qualifications, she quoted Mr Harraj as saying.

She said there was also consensus in the meeting that academic qualification was of key importance for a teacher and no relaxation could be offered on this.

For the last over three months, about 150 contractual teachers of the college have been protesting against the OPF’s decision bounding them to apply afresh along with new applicants after expiry of their contracts. The teachers have moved Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench against the decision.

According to an official handout, Brig (retired) Farogh Anjum, Director Education OPF, briefed the committee members on the working and performance of the OPF educational institutes. He said the pay-scales of the teachers working at the OPF schools and colleges had been revised to give them a better working environment.

He said the OPF’s education division was facing unavailability of proper school buildings, poor maintenance and limited space.

The state minister assured the committee that the ministry would seriously consider the recommendations of the committee as it would help improve the system.