KARACHI: Ninety-five per cent of the privately-run schools — secondary, middle standard and primary — in the Sind province, will stand nationalised from Oct 1, in the first phases of the takeover of schools under the new education policy. The remaining five per cent — a total of 75 schools, one in Hyderabad and the rest in Karachi — have been exempted from the nationalisation programme. Out of the total of 1,485 schools, 385 secondary, 195 middle standard and 1,005 primary — the Government will nationalise 249 secondary, 187 middle standard and 974 primary schools.

…The Sind Chief Minister, Mr Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, said the schools which had been exempted from the takeover included those institutions where fees were very high and only the children of the rich people were studying. He said the standards of those schools were high and they could be converted into institutes for talented students. However, they would be required to give 20 per cent freeships until the second phase of nationalisation was undertaken. … The Chief Minister said nationalisation of colleges and schools would cost the Sind government a sum of Rs. 8 crore in the current year, in addition to Rs. 27 crore being spent annually.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2022