Government grants scholarships to NGO-administered school
In the past, no private institution or NGO has been allowed to screen applications for govt-funded scholarships
PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), a government subsidiary, has now started bearing the expenses of schools administered by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). To this end, the SEF has recently announced that it would grant scholarships to fund the boarding expenses of the historic Narayan Jagannath Vaidya (NJV) Higher Secondary School, which is run by the Akhuwat Foundation, a non-profit company.
In an unprecedented move, the funding will be provided by the SEF under the Sindh School Education Scholarship Programme (SSESP), while the Akhuwat Foundation will conduct the screening of scholarship applications. In the past, no private institution or NGO has been allowed to select applications for government-funded scholarships.
For the qualification test, students in need of financial assistance will be required to submit a pay order worth Rs500, which will be deposited in the foundation’s bank account. What’s more, while the scholarship opportunity is offered to students from all over Sindh, those from Karachi have been declared ineligible to apply, a move which has drawn criticism from both students and parents.
Sources working for the Department of School Education told The Express Tribune that an agreement was signed between the SEF and the Akhuwat Foundation in 2015, after which the latter adopted the state-owned school. There was no mention in the agreement of any condition under which the boarding costs of students would be borne by the Sindh government or any other public institution.
Mahmood urges steps to end educational inequality
When approached, SEF chairperson Qazi Abdul Kabeer also confirmed the information.
“The agreement did not mention that the government would bear any expenses related to the NJV School once it is adopted by the NGO,” he said. Kabeer, however, defended the announcement of the scholarships and said that the boarding facility’s administration at the NJV School was only handed over to the Akhuwat Foundation a while ago. At the time of the announcement of the scholarships, he claimed, the NJV’s boarding was still being run by the SEF.
When asked about the collection of Rs500 from the students, Kabeer said that the money would be used to cover the school’s expenditure.
As for excluding students from Karachi and its suburbs, he added that students in Karachi do not need boarding facilities as they already have homes in the city. However, he added that the foundation would announce boarding scholarships for Karachi students in the near future too.
“The boarding scholarship is only for students from grade 9 to grade 12,” Kabeer explained. “The boarding facility at the NJV school costs Rs15,000 per student, which includes tracksuits, school shoes, uniforms and other essentials, in addition to other miscellaneous monthly expenses. However, the exact amount of the stipend that would be granted to the students has not been confirmed yet.”
The building of the NGV School, given to the Akhuwat Foundation, holds a historical status in Sindh. It was built in 1852, and has had the honour of hosting a meeting of the Sindh Assembly. Offices of public schools and the education department have also been set up in the building. In 2015, the former education secretary for school and colleges, Fazlullah Pechuho, handed the building over to the Akhuwat Foundation under an agreement.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 29th, 2020.
The Sindh Education Foundation (SEF), a government subsidiary, has now started bearing the expenses of schools administered by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). To this end, the SEF has recently announced that it would grant scholarships to fund the boarding expenses of the historic Narayan Jagannath Vaidya (NJV) Higher Secondary School, which is run by the Akhuwat Foundation, a non-profit company.
In an unprecedented move, the funding will be provided by the SEF under the Sindh School Education Scholarship Programme (SSESP), while the Akhuwat Foundation will conduct the screening of scholarship applications. In the past, no private institution or NGO has been allowed to select applications for government-funded scholarships.
For the qualification test, students in need of financial assistance will be required to submit a pay order worth Rs500, which will be deposited in the foundation’s bank account. What’s more, while the scholarship opportunity is offered to students from all over Sindh, those from Karachi have been declared ineligible to apply, a move which has drawn criticism from both students and parents.
Sources working for the Department of School Education told The Express Tribune that an agreement was signed between the SEF and the Akhuwat Foundation in 2015, after which the latter adopted the state-owned school. There was no mention in the agreement of any condition under which the boarding costs of students would be borne by the Sindh government or any other public institution.
Mahmood urges steps to end educational inequality
When approached, SEF chairperson Qazi Abdul Kabeer also confirmed the information.
“The agreement did not mention that the government would bear any expenses related to the NJV School once it is adopted by the NGO,” he said. Kabeer, however, defended the announcement of the scholarships and said that the boarding facility’s administration at the NJV School was only handed over to the Akhuwat Foundation a while ago. At the time of the announcement of the scholarships, he claimed, the NJV’s boarding was still being run by the SEF.
When asked about the collection of Rs500 from the students, Kabeer said that the money would be used to cover the school’s expenditure.
As for excluding students from Karachi and its suburbs, he added that students in Karachi do not need boarding facilities as they already have homes in the city. However, he added that the foundation would announce boarding scholarships for Karachi students in the near future too.
“The boarding scholarship is only for students from grade 9 to grade 12,” Kabeer explained. “The boarding facility at the NJV school costs Rs15,000 per student, which includes tracksuits, school shoes, uniforms and other essentials, in addition to other miscellaneous monthly expenses. However, the exact amount of the stipend that would be granted to the students has not been confirmed yet.”
The building of the NGV School, given to the Akhuwat Foundation, holds a historical status in Sindh. It was built in 1852, and has had the honour of hosting a meeting of the Sindh Assembly. Offices of public schools and the education department have also been set up in the building. In 2015, the former education secretary for school and colleges, Fazlullah Pechuho, handed the building over to the Akhuwat Foundation under an agreement.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 29th, 2020.