LAHORE, Oct 25: The administrative control of all inter and degree colleges under the district governments in the country has been returned to provinces after four years.

Education department officials told Dawn on Tuesday the federal government had taken the decision as the experiment to place the colleges under the district governments “failed”. An official notification in this regard is expected in a few days.

As many as 425 colleges in Punjab, 270 in Sindh, 250 in the NWFP and 60 in Balochistan under the administrative control of provinces were handed over to the district governments in 2001.

Sources said the decision-makers were informed that the district governments were not properly utilizing the development funds for colleges as schools were their main target.

Besides, they said, most of the executive district officers were in BS-18 and 19 and were authorized to maintain the annual confidential reports (ACRs) of BS-20 principals which was generating controversy.

They said the colleges were not functioning in line with the guidelines of Higher Education Commission, while there was no improvement in their syllabus and curriculum. The colleges’ heads enjoying good relations with nazims were facilitated in running the affairs of their institutions.

Frequent political interference in teachers’ transfers and postings was also cited as one of the main issues.

The Punjab and Sindh education ministers had demanded the control of these colleges at an inter-provincial meeting held a couple of months back. The concern was also conveyed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The officials said the director colleges post would be restored and district education officer would perform its functions. The EDOs would continue to look after schools.

There is also a proposal to bifurcate the directorate of public instruction (DPI) in South and North zones to smoothly run the affairs of the colleges.

It is learnt that the budget of the second quarter of the financial year allocated to the colleges would not be withheld.

Punjab Education Minister Imran Masood welcomed the decision and hoped under the provinces the colleges would perform well and development funds would be utilized properly. All Pakistan Lecturers Associations president Nazim Hasnain said the decision would facilitate teachers who were earlier at the mercy of nazims. “It will minimize the political interference in transfer and posting matters ,” he hoped.

On the other hand, a college principal said that reversal of the decision would land the administration and teachers in hot waters as they would again be at the mercy of bureaucracy. He informed that in the district set up the budget for a project was usually approved in two or three meetings.