Karachi educational infrastructure funds

Millions of school funds went down the drain
Karachi, Dec 1: Despite the availability of the educational infrastructure in Lyari, many buildings are being constructed at the premises of already established schools and colleges which is not only a violation of rules but also shows the misuse of the government's funds, it has been learnt.

As per details, non-existence of any strategy along with lack of good planning has exposed the inability of the authorities concerned over the misuse of special funds allocated for education purpose in Lyari.

The higher government authorities as well as the officials concerned have violated the rules and the regulation by constructing new schools and college buildings at the same premises of the educational institutions in Lyari.

After releasing of funds, the new buildings have been constructed at the open spaces and playgrounds of such schools, which has deprived the students of playgrounds.

The new buildings which have been constructed were allocated for new girls' school and college, and are located at the premises of SM Lyari Government Boys Secondary School located in Chakiwara, DCTO Government Boys Secondary School located in Mosa Lane area.

According to the rule, the government and private schools must have playgrounds at their premises but the government itself eliminating the open spaces which were allocated for sports and other healthy activities.

The carelessness of the authorities have further exposed because the newly constructed buildings are also hazardous by dint of their poor construction.

It is pertinent to mention that three to five schools have already setup in the same premises of the Lyari schools which have never proved to impart better education, thus the number of students there is decreasing day by day. And this is mainly due to the lack of basic facilities in the schools including pure drinking water, no sewerage system, non-existence of trained staffers and others.

Several NGOs, operating in Lyari, have strongly criticised the authorities concerned as well as the local elected representatives for misusing the special grants that was allocated for the betterment and the development of the education system in the said old area. They insisted to renovate and upgrade the buildings of schools and colleges instead of constructing new buildings in Lyari.

The NGOs were of the view that if the government and authorities concerned were sincere in providing quality education to the people of Lyari, than they should renovate the present buildings of schools and colleges and provide basic facilities with good equipment and also deploy professional staffs to the educational institutes.

They urged the authorities to bring betterment in the basic education system in Lyari because such medical and law colleges could not be advantageous for the Lyariites until and unless they are provided with required facilities for good education.

The government has earlier announced to establish a medical college, law college and other educational institutes in Lyari but instead of allocating separate lands for such announced projects the medical college is being set up in the premises of Lyari General hospital, where the open space has already taken up for some other purposes.

While the law college is decided to be established in the premises of Lyari Degree College. Owing to such negligence, the playgrounds of schools and colleges have been vanished and the remaining open places are now become over-crowded. The nation

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Concern over King Edward Medical University appointments
Lahore: The Pakistan Medical Association (Centre) has criticised the King Edward Medical University's administration for making appointments on its vacant posts, which originally belonged to the Punjab Health Department, on a contract basis. The Punjab government has a clear-cut policy of making appointments, on a regular basis, through the Punjab Public Service Commission, it has said.

In a press statement issued on Monday, PMA Centre President Dr Sarwar Chauhdhry and Joint Secretary Dr Shahid Malik said the KEMU administration's decision was contrary to the announcement made by Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif that all the appointments of doctors would be made on a regular basis through the PPSC. They said that the government should look into the affairs of KEMU and direct the administration to fill all the vacant posts through promotion of regular medical teachers or through the PPSC on a regular basis. They said the process of the contract appointments should be immediately stopped as it was against the health department's policy. They said the PMA would also protest if non-MBBS retired professors were recruited on vacant posts.

Meanwhile, in another press statement, Young Doctors Association (YDA) General Secretary Dr Salman Kazmi explained that the KEMU was going for appointments on a contract basis on 44 vacant posts of medical teachers, including five professors, 24 associate professors and 15 assistant professors in various specialties in the university. He said the KEMU had advertised 18 posts to be filled on a contract basis contrary to the Punjab health department's policy of making appointments on a regular basis through the PPSC or promotions. "The process of contract appointments in KEMU should be stopped forthwith," he said. The news

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Literacy drive to be launched
Larkana: PPP MNA Faryal Talpur has said the government plans to launch a national literacy campaign in the country.

The government gave priority to education and health sectors, she said at a ceremony held to mark the launch of a literacy campaign organised by the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) in Naudero on Sunday.

She said that about 300 literacy centres would be opened during the campaign. She said the NCHD and the Sindh government would work together to get the closed schools re-opened.

After completing a survey of education and health departments, she said, the government would start a campaign to vaccinate children against Hepatitis B, C and D. Steps would be taking to ensure vaccination of every child, she said

She urged the elected representatives and local people to provide information the schools which had been closed and told officials of the education department to organise seminars and discussions to help achieve the required literacy rate.

NCHD chairperson Nafisa Shah praised the efforts of Ms Talpur and disclosed that about 50,000 educated youths would be absorbed in the NCHD. She said Rs8 billion would be injected in a three-year programme to make the closed schools functional. Sindh Senior Minister for Education Pir Mazharul Haq, Sindh Law Minister Mohammad Ayaz Soomro and NCHD senior general manager Humera Hashmi also spoke at the ceremony. Dawn

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