KARACHI, April 13: The Sindh government has constituted a committee to look afresh into the issue of denationalisation of schools, which were taken over by the government in 1972.

The committee, comprising three provincial ministers and an adviser would, among other things, determine the government’s investment on schools after their nationalization and assets and liabilities.

Following a decision of the Sindh Cabinet taken in August 2001, only a couple of educational institutions could be handed to the private sector. The government turned down the applications for denationalization of a couple of educational institutions, including two colleges run by missionary bodies, as they failed to come up to the government criteria.

The then government of Mohammedmian Soomro had decided to return all the nationalized educational institutions to their original owners or genuine successors, within three years, after fulfilment of some conditions approved by the then Sindh cabinet. The owners were, however, required to make a request in this regard.

The government had decided to hand over the educational institutions only to those claimants who would be using the premises for educational purposes only, and would retain the existing teaching and non-teaching staff for a period of one year and to offer a golden handshake to teachers willing to discontinue their jobs under private management, while the new management was also required not to charge any additional tuition fee from the existing students.

About 60 applications were received, but only three to five parties were able to establish title of the premises.

However, another source, said that the fresh move on the part of the political government was seen only after submission of summaries with regard to denationalization of two schools in Mahmoodabad and Dhoraji vicinities.