KARACHI, Aug 25: Students, their parents and office-bearers of the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association at a joint meeting demanded the education department to immediately take back its decision of denationalizing St Patrick's and St Joseph's colleges.

The meeting, held at APWA Girls College, Gulberg Town on Wednesday, demanded the government to review its policy regarding denationalization and called for removal of Sindh Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro and allocation of five per cent of total GDP for education.

Addressing the meeting, SPLA President Prof Riaz Ahsan told the participants that after denationalization of educational institutions, those who were paying from Rs300 to Rs1,200 as tuition fee would have to pay Rs3,000 to Rs4,000.

"After denationalization of the colleges, education will be out of the reach of middle and lower-middle class people," he said adding that teaching and non-teaching staff at these educational institutions will also be handed over to private owners.

Later, participants of the meeting held protest demonstration at Kareemabad roundabout against denationalization of colleges and chanted slogans against Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro. They also presented a resolution to Gulberg Town Nazim Farooq Naimatullah and urged him to support the campaign against denationalization of educational institutions. - PPI