Schools in capital have insufficient capacity for students

NA panel visits FDE, raises concerns over situation of classrooms

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Monday expressed its reservations over the limited capacity of schools in the capital to enrol all those aspiring for admissions.

Members of the National Assembly sub-committee on the Cabinet Secretariat, led by MNA Nafeesa Khattak, had visited the visited the Federal Directorate of Education on Monday.

During the visit, the committee said that since 2013, the population of the capital had been increasing but new educational institutions had not been built to meet the growing needs of the population.

Besides, the panel said, existing schools and colleges located on the peripheries of the capital lack boundary walls while sanitary conditions of their washrooms and available drinking water were also substandard.

Khattak asked that if the government has been unable to expand its educational services, should the people stop bearing children. She said they have been getting complaints that parents are unable to enrol their children in schools, especially in the schools, owing to lack of space.

FDE officials told the committee members that they had received around 2,031 applications for Class Prep in 20 model colleges while they only had seats for 663 students. However, 698 candidates were granted admission.

Similarly, 2,568 applications had been received for the same institutions for admissions in Class I though they only had seats for 964. Admissions were granted to around 906 candidates.  According to the documents, while 4,599 applications were received, 1,604 students were granted admissions in class Prep and I of 20 model colleges.

People prefer to enrol their children in the primary sections of these model colleges since the quality of education is believed to be better when compared to federal schools.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2017.