PESHAWAR, Oct 19: The NWFP government-sponsored Public-Private Collaboration (PPC) programme for education received little response as only 125 middle and secondary schools have been opened throughout the province so far, officials acknowledged.

An official of the schools and literacy department admitted that there was no consolidated report about the number of schools and students since the PPC had been handed over to the districts.

More or less 15 non-governmental organizations and individuals have signed agreements with the concerned department for 185 middle, secondary and higher secondary schools to be opened in public sector schools’ buildings.

But so far, officials said, only 125 schools have been established in 12 districts, out of 24 in the province. Officials said that the enrolment was very low in the PPC schools while in some schools only 10 to 15 students had taken admission.

In many areas PPC schools have been closed after receiving lukewarm response from the community. Due to limited number of students, the PPC schools had been depicting the picture as if these were tuition centres, said an official of the department.

The schools and literacy department, NWFP launched the PPC in June 2002 in collaboration with the private sector to promote and strengthen education through self-sustained and economical system in the province, particularly among the girls of the rural areas. The PPC idea was borrowed from the Punjab government.

The main objectives of the PPC programme are to make optimal use of the existing school buildings, to make education available to all the children with minimum cost.

Initially, the government established a cell to monitor affairs of the PPC across the province but after few months the cell was abolished and district governments were directed to look after the PPC schools. Under the agreement the government will provide classrooms, playground, furniture, laboratory and utility services. The private party will renovate building, maintain record and pay utility bills.

The government has fixed fee structure for the PPC according to which from class XI to X in urban areas per month fee is Rs200 and for class XI and XII the fee is Rs300 whereas in rural areas Rs150 and Rs250 for class VI to X and class XI to XII, respectively.

Under the agreement five per cent of the gross income in rural areas and 10 per cent in urban areas will be paid to the concerned institutions.

A principal, running PPC school in Peshawar Cantonment area complained that the school administration did not cooperate with the private sector which had affected their teaching efforts. Another factor, he pointed out, tendency among students to join evening classes was very low while the government did not give proper publicity to the programme.