The Sindh government has taken control of the educational institutions that were being run by the City District Government Karachi and placed them under the administrative control of the Sindh Education Department, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources said that this move is a result of a decision made by the Sindh chief minister and the senior authorities of the Education Department, particularly Senior Sindh Education and Literacy Minister Pir Mazharul Haq.
Under the Sindh Local Government Ordinance-2001, the control of all educational institutions, both public and private, up to class 12 was given to the local governments.
However, the provincial government had time and again been trying to take control of the institutions because, according to the sources, the district government could not improve the education standard in the past couple of years.
By repealing the Private School Management Act-1962, administrative orders were passed in 2004 for establishing the Directorate of Colleges and the Directorate of Technical Education. Under this, the provincial government took charge of colleges and technical education.
The Sindh Directorate of Schools was formed the same year and control of private schools was taken from the local government, which was left with control over public schools only.
With the creation of the Sindh Schools Director post, the management of schools was centralised with all the other cities of the province being bound to approach the head office situated in Karachi for all their management and administrative functions.
However, the Pakistan People’s Party-led Sindh government tried to take control of the educational institutions in 2009 and floated a proposal to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)-backed governor who had returned the bill twice or thrice.
Interestingly, after the MQM – the government’s coalition partner in Sindh and the Centre – parted ways with the PPP government, the PPP leadership got the bill signed by Acting Sindh Governor Nisar Ahmed Khuhro.
Furthermore, the sources disclosed that the Sindh Assembly is expected to endorse the move taken by the provincial government during the session scheduled for July 13.
