KARACHI, Jan 13: City council has passed a resolution unanimously recommending different steps for raising the education standard in government schools and demanded to impose "education tax" on private schools.

The city council session, chaired by City Naib Nazim Tariq Hassan, was held on Tuesday. The council demanded to stop privatization of schools and take stern steps against private schools found in violation of laws prescribed for these schools. Besides, immediate closure of unregistered schools was also recommended at the session.

Chairperson City Council's Education Committee Shamim Mumtaz Wasi, mover of the resolution, demanded for approval of private schools curriculum from city government's education department and to establish a English medium Model School in each union council of the city.

Council members expressed their concern over the deteriorating standard of education in government schools and held education department responsible for this decline in education system.

Shamim Mumtaz Wasi told the house that government was spending Rs1,200 each month on one child in government schools, which is much higher than the fees of majority of private schools which they charge from one child, however, there seems no improvement in standard of education.

A city council member Mirza Salman Baig said that salaries to teachers should be paid through cross checks as a huge amount of money was being drawn from government exchequer in the name of ghost teachers.

He said, "Education department is the most corrupt department of the city government, where irregularities are on rise without any check." Majority of council members severely criticized the officials of city government for not complying with the orders of council and avoiding to turn up in council whenever they were called.

"Red tapism is creating hurdles in smooth functioning of new local bodies system and it is going to sabotage the system," they said. The members asked convener of the council to forward a letter to the National Construction Bureau about this problem.

Saeed Ghani, Leader of Awam Dost Group, demanded that City Nazim should answer the council about the implementation of various resolutions passed by council, as he was bound to submit his answer about the resolutions passed under Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

Atmosphere of the council turned noisy when Riaz Tabassum and Haji Siddique Rathore exchanged words after the former called all the members for adopting double standards. Later, on the intervention of convener and other members, the situation was restored. -PPI