SWABI: Educationists have questioned the ‘talent hunt’ policy of the private educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying it is meant to boost businesses rather than produce competent minds.

Talking to Dawn here on Monday, academia, teachers and students observed that the fundamental motive behind the policy was to lure the outstanding students and then cash in on their excellent performance in examinations.

The owners of private educational institutions know very well that the talented students could easily secure positions in board examinations, which is later cited as a result of hard work and quality education they provided to produce students of high caliber, Waqar Ahmad, a research associate at a university, observed.

In Swabi, a leading school and college which has its branches in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda and Nowshera, has offered over 70 scholarships to the talented students.

Similarly, other private institutions also offer scholarships to outstanding students, through advertisements displayed in every nook and corner.

Under the scheme, those students who have secured 80 per cent marks in the SSC exams sit in the ‘talent test’. And, those who qualify the test are exempted from admission and tuition fee.

“The talent hunt policy is in fact a talent cash policy. Its main objective is to boost business,” believes Arif Khan, who teaches at a private school.

The academia said that besides hunting the talented students, these institutions should also offer admissions to poor students. “If students from poor families are given quality education it will help increase the literacy rate,” Bakat Rehman, an English teacher, said.

When contacted, principals of private educational institutions told Dawn the talent hunt policy had worked as students, including those from poor families, had had an opportunity to get quality education.

The policy, they said had also created an environment of competition among educational institutions.

ENMITY CLAIMS LIFE: An old enmity claimed life of a man and caused serious injuries to another in Zaida city on Monday, police said.

They said rival parties exchanged heavy fire.

Nadeem Rehman, son of the deceased, Gohar Rehman, registered an FIR, saying he along with his father were on way home when Altaf Khan, Junaid Khan, Tariq Ahmad, who was injured, and Najeem Jan opened fire on them, killing his father on the spot.

Injured Tariq Ahmad, who belongs to other party, also registered an FIR against Gohar Rehman (deceased) and his son, Zohaibur Rehman, for allegedly shooting and injuring him.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2016