LAHORE, March 18: The Punjab education department has revived its July 8 notification, announcing a scheme for denationalization/retransfer of educational institutions to the previous managements, revoking the Aug 26, 2002, notification.
The July 8, 2002, notification was suspended by a notification issued by the education department on Aug 26 last year following protest demonstrations by the Joint Action Committee for teachers, doctors and students.
The education department’s latest notification SO(R&B)1-18/90-A-III says, “This department’s notification of even number of Aug 26, 2002, is hereby withdrawn, and as such notification of even number dated July 8, 2002 stands revived.”
Official sources say the revised notification issued on July 8, which has become once again operational, had announced a scheme for retransfer/denationalization of nationalized educational institutes.
The revised notification of scheme was issued to facilitate the denationalization of around 60 nationalized colleges in the province. The two earlier notifications regarding scheme for retransfer/denationalization of nationalized educational institutions issued on July 28, 1996 and August 17, 1999, did not allow the education department to denationalize the colleges. On the basis of these notifications, officials said the education department had denationalized 53 schools in the province. There are 1,382 nationalized schools and 60 nationalized colleges in the province.
It is, however, learnt that no particular notification was issued on Tuesday to hand over the Government FC College to the Presbyterian Church.
Official sources told Dawn that the time to issue the notification would be decided by the Punjab chief minister and education minister. “All arrangements have been completed and only green signal is awaited from the CM and the education minister,” they claimed.
It is reliably learnt that the Punjab education department has started recognizing handing over of the college to the Presbyterian Church in its official correspondence.
An education department’s letter sent to the Punjab information secretary says, “The government has decided to denationalize the Government FC College and return it to its former management — Presbyterian Church of the USA.
This decision is giving rise to demonstrations by the people who have vested interest. The general public may not be aware of the impact of denationalization of educational institutions, particularly the FC College, Lahore.
The letter also urges the information secretary to highlight the positive points of denationalization of the college issued by the PCUSA.
According to the letter, the PCUSA says the students studying in first year, third year and fifth year classes will be required to pay fees according to the existing fee structure till the completion of their programme.
Similarly, it says the existing courses of study will be continued at the college. It also says the students’ strength in a class will not increase from 25, while a PhD teacher will be appointed to teach subject in the college.
