Obstacles: Dearth of funds, red tape hampering college education in capital

Some colleges are unable to meet basic expenses.


Riazul Haq May 14, 2013
According to sources, delays in the regularisation of employees — ordered by previous government — and delays in the reimbursement of funds is taking its toll on the different colleges. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


Budgetary shortfalls and “delaying tactics” on behalf of the bureaucracy have brought most development and administrative work at government colleges in Islamabad to a standstill.


According to sources, delays in the regularisation of employees — ordered by previous government — and delays in the reimbursement of funds is taking its toll on the different colleges.

Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) I-14/3 opened last year, but it has no boundary wall and there is no funding available with the administration to renovate the building or even fulfil its need for stationary.

“We are unable to pay for routine things or meet the basic needs of the college and have to meet expenses through the college fund,” said a teacher on condition of anonymity.



The college fund is an amount which the institution allocates from students’ fees to pay for classroom decoration or extracurricular college functions.

She said they have informed the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) of the situation on multiple occasions, but no help has been forthcoming.

The story is no different at IMCB Sihala, where the school building lacks most basic facilities, walls are unpainted and there is no electricity connection.

In addition, the regularisation of a number of posts at different colleges has continued to be delayed, causing unrest among the colleges’ administrations and employees.



Federal Government Colleges Director Mehmood Akhtar Malik accepted that the situation is precarious at different colleges, but said there is nothing they can do at the FDE to help. “We receive applications and requests about funds and forward them to the Capital Administration and Development (CAD) Ministry.” He further said that the Establishment and Finance divisions are where the issues get stuck.

“It does get annoying when getting the signature of a federal secretary becomes a herculean task and has a chain effect on hundreds of students in capital,” he said.

A delay in the allocation of funds for the National Book Foundation (NBF) has led to frustration among teachers and students who must go to schools without any textbooks.

According to recent reports, the NBF is still owed Rs27 million for textbooks.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2013.

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