Islamabad
The start of penetration by the private educational institutions in public sector institutions has created concern among the teaching community and residents of the federal capital.
As a part of public-private partnership, one of elite chain of privately run educational institutions would start Montessori classes in five model schools of the Federal Directorate of Education, three of those institutions located in urban and two in rural areas of Sohan and Khana Dak.
The syallabi for the Montessori classes have been prepared by management of chain of private schools while the classrooms have also been decorated by them.
The Ministry of Capital Administration and Development (CAD) has also directed the management of FDE institutions that they have nothing to do with management of private schools and their only role was to assist them. “We were not taken into confidence about start of Montessori classes and we were taken by surprise when suddenly a team of private school reached our premises,” the head of a school told this correspondent.
The school official said that the FDE was already successfully running Prep classes in various institutions. “Our teachers are well-trained and they enjoy years of experience,” the official said questioning how curriculum of private institutions could be introduced in public sector schools without approval of National or Capital Curriculum wing.
The official sources said that no written agreement between the CAD, FDE and private schools’ chain had been made public which had created further doubts in many minds. The teaching community apprehends that start of Montessori classes by private schools could be the first step to make their way into premises of public schools on permanent basis.
Minister of State for CAD Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry in the meanwhile on floor of the National Assembly rejected an impression that the public sector schools were being handed over to the private sector.
During the question in National Assembly on Friday, the minister, however, said the government had decided to start Montessori classes in 22 FDE schools to be run by Montessori teachers of private set up. They will be given one room to start the new project.
An official of CAD requesting not to be named said that no written agreement has been signed with private schools. “Instead the management of private schools is just being asked to facilitate operation of Montessori classes initially for one year and then will be handed over to management of schools,” he said.
