ISLAMABAD: As people are protesting inordinate increments in the fees of private educational institutions, startling revelations have come to light about how the government allotted these institutions precious land at throwaway prices.
A document presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat exposed how private institutions' management were able to acquire valuable land in the federal capital and its suburbs.
The document available with DawnNews shows as many as 11 plots allotted during 1981-1996 to different private montessoris, schools and colleges, while 32 plots were allotted by the Musharraf-led regime during 2005-2007 at throwaway prices.
The following allocations are shown in the document:
- Froebel's International School: 6,000 square yard plot at Rs70 per square yard in Islamabad's highly-valued F-7/2 in 1981.
- Beaconhouse School System: 23,725 square yard plot at Rs100 square yard in Sector H-8/1 in 1985.
- The City School: 14,036 square yard plot at Rs100 per square yard in Sector H-8 in 1986.
- National College of Business and Management Sciences, Wahid Public School: 8,888 square yard and 14,605 square yard plots respectively at Rs250 square yard.
- International Grammar School and College, Toddlers Academy, Ambrose Hall School, Cambridge School and Islamabad School of Art and Sciences: Various amounts of land allotted at Rs500 per square yard.
- Magic Roundabout Nurseries: 1.80 acres of land at Rs843 per square yard at Farash Town in 2006.
- Siddeeq Public School and Sajid Ideal Model High School: Three acres of land each, at Rs1,785 per square yard in 2006.
- PakTurk International School: Two plots allotted in 2006; one measuring 2.66 acres at Rs1,785 per square yard in Chak Shahzad, and the other measuring 12,100 square yard at Rs7,400 per square yard in Sector H-8
- Bahria College Naval Complex, Bahria Foundation College, Headstart School, Roots Montessori School and Modern Institute of Informatics and Management: Various amounts of land allotted at Rs4,500 per square yard.
All plots were allotted with the approval of the Capital Development Authority, the document claims. The Standing Committee took exception to the allotment of valuable land to private educational institutions at low prices.
A complete record on the allotment of plots to private educational institutions was sought by the committee.
Of the 1,069 private schools registered with the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), 977 were set up in residential areas, while 17 were constituted in 17 commercial buildings, the committee was informed.
