Schools’ plot issue still pending

The future of those private schools that are operating in residential areas is still uncertain as the modus operandi to be adopted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the auctioning of plots for schools remains unclear.

The CDA has been carrying out a drive against the non-conforming use of residential areas on the directives of the Supreme Court. According to the CDA by-laws, the schools which are operating in residential areas are liable to be sealed.

There are some 360 private schools in urban parts of the city while 100 are operating outside the urban areas but fall under the administrative jurisdiction of the CDA, including Margalla and Shahzad Town.

The principals of small schools whom Dawn spoke to said smaller institutions would not be able to purchase plots if CDA were to hold an open auction. They fear that bigger, elite schools will easily out-bid them.

Meanwhile, a committee consisting of the CDA officials and Chairman of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) has been working to prepare recommendations about how to offer plots to private schools.

“In the first phase, 120 plots will be auctioned and the procedure for the auction is being reviewed,” said Waseem Ahmed Khan, Member Planning at the CDA. He said the authority would be extending its cooperation for facilitating schools in the move.

“We can offer plots on five year instalments,” he said and that many other options were being discussed as well.

Talking to Dawn, Private School Network President Dr Afzal Babur suggested that instead of holding an auction, the civic body should lease plots to all registered schools on instalments.

“It will be very difficult and even impossible for some of the smaller schools to compete with elite schools in an open auction. It will be unjust to ask smaller schools to participate in an open auction”, he said.

Talking to Dawn, a PEIRA official said that the offices of the regulatory body for private schools were also located in a residential area, in violation of the by-laws.

Job expo at Bahria University

Behria University hosted a Career Expo to bring students and prospective employers together.

Over 2,000 current students and 500 alumni of the university attended the day-long expo, in which 70 well known companies had set up stalls.

These include many NGOs, banks, telecom companies and services and manufacturing firms.

The aim behind the event was to connect talented students with good employers and to provide an opportunity for students and alumni to learn about job openings, research companies and practice their interviewing and networking skills.

The event was inaugurated by Rector Bahria University, retired Vice Admiral Tanveer Faiz.

A press release says the event is a platform where employers and students can meet. It says that industry players and human resource experts from top organisations gave an overview of the HR demands, entry requirements and career prospects.

Career counsellors had also set up stalls to guide students and companies conducted on-the-spot interviews and selected some candidates.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2016