HYDERABAD, Sept 22: Members of the district council on Monday demanded an inquiry into the embezzlement of funds in educational institutions that are working under the administrative control of the executive district officer (EDO), Education, Hyderabad district.

The matter was raised in the session as the convener, Nawab Rashid Ali Khan, began the question-answer session after taking up the item of Dr Ayaz Arain whose questions pertained to private and government-run schools.

The EDO, Education, did not show up and sent his subordinate instead.

Dr Arain charged that millions of rupees had been misappropriated in different heads of education regarding which he had solid evidence.

He referred to the irregularity of Rs225,000 in the head of School Management Committee and Parent Teachers Association saying that the fund had been transferred to some other head. Likewise, he said, Rs67,000 of scholarship had also not been utilized.

Accusing the EDO, ADO and supervisor of financial malpractices, he alleged that education officials were getting “monthlies” in different ways with the result that the education of the district was being destroyed.

He demanded that a high-level inquiry be carried out into the affairs of the education department.

He said that there were 3,740 elementary and primary schools in the district where thousands of students were being imparted education but the officials were least concerned about the quality of education.

He wanted to know the exact number of primary, elementary and high schools in the district as well as the total number of teachers and students.

He also wanted to know whether scholarships were being given to students.

He wanted to ascertain the procedure of constitution of SMCs and whether they were headed by nominated or elected persons.

On the issue of SMC, Mir Suleman Talpur and Rafique Meo told the session that funds of SMCs were not being released, and added that in the Raees Khan Mohammad Girls School not a single student was studying, yet SMC expenses were shown in the expenditure.

Dr Arain also discussed the issue of private schools wondering whether there was any criteria for running a private school.

He claimed that in his union council, classes in five out of 14 private schools were held in kitchens and bathrooms apparently in complete disregard of the rules and regulations of private schools.

The chair directed the education official to answer the queries of Dr Arain in the session to be held on Wednesday.

Responding to the questions of Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, the managing director, Water and Sanitation Agency, M. Tahir told the session that against an expenditure of Rs28 million, an amount of Rs8 million remained in default ever month.

He said that there were 1,423 regular employees working in Wasa, and added that the outstanding dues of retired and deceased employees would be cleared in October.

He said that the departments of police stations, jails, and rangers owed an outstanding amount of Rs81 million.

He said that no workers were working in the bungalows of government officials. He also denied that any Wasa worker was working in the Hyderabad Club.

He said that out of Rs487 million of the Hyderabad Development Package, Rs125 million were released but only Rs92 million could be utilized.

He said that following a change of the project director of the package on May 27, the payment of contractors had been withheld with the result that all the works were suspended, and added that the second instalment of Rs125 million had not been received as yet.