Sindh Education Foundation being blackmailed by schools operators

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KARACHI: The spokesperson of Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) has stated that a few ex-school operators (whose contracts had been terminated on account of provision of substandard education services to the students despite substantive financial and technical assistance by the Foundation), together with few current partners who have been served notices either on account of financial irregularities or non-documentation or misrepresentation, have begun a slanderous and defamatory campaign against the Foundation using different media platforms.

The Foundation refuted the allegations based on concocted information that are being levied by this group with the primary intention of avoiding regulatory and fiduciary requirements under the Partnership Contract (for instance avoiding furnishing Statement of Expenditures (SOEs) for a more transparent utilisation of public money).

The SEF has attained some major milestones on various education indicators such as over 100 per cent increase in enrollment over the last few years, whereby the number by now has reached to over 500,000 students studying in 2400 SEF Assisted Schools/ Centers. The Foundation is presently working with 988 school partners/ operators and it is just a few ex and current SEF partners/operators who are involved in a malicious and ill-intentioned campaign aimed at tarnishing the repute of the Foundation, where the slanderous campaign is meant for instigating propaganda through baseless defamatory allegations using different forums.

The spokesperson said that SEF is required, by law, to regulate the partnerships and secure students’ interests. Only non-compliant partners are being issued notices and contracts are being closed on evidence of a serious breach. The closed schools are being reopened in partnership with other competent school partners for the same cohort of students under SEF’s replacement strategy. The spokesperson further clarified that the Foundation aims at safeguarding the interest of the students and that is why it is undertaking measures to ensure that the school buildings constructed/developed with the financial assistance of the Foundation should continue to be utilised for the purpose of the provision of educational services to the students.