PEF takes notice of union formation

LAHORE

Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) has taken exception to the attempted union formation and collection of money in the name of union fund from school owners who have remained unsuccessful in partnership with the foundation in expansion phase-10 of its public private partnership based Foundation Assisted School (FAS) programme for the needy children.

According to a handout issued here on Sunday, the spokesman in a statement made it clear that the school partners have been selected purely on merit and fulfilling of programme-specific criteria of the FAS. However, some unscrupulous elements are trying to extort money from the school owners who were unable to fulfill the one-kilometre departmental condition for partnership. These schools are being hoodwinked that any deviation is possible in this condition, which is totally incorrect as partnership agreements have been signed, added the spokesman. He advised the private school owners not to be blackmailed in the name of any union-formation as the expansion Phase-10 of FAS programme has already been launched and no change is possible in this regard.

The spokesman advised the private school owners, in their own interest, that they may not succumb to any cheating in the name of union-formation and should wait for the launch of next expansion phases for partnership with the foundation to help arrange free education for the children of low income families in the Punjab. The expansion phases are announced after the formal approval of Board of Directors of the PEF and the selection of new partners is carried out purely on merit and in accordance with the program-specific criterion, the spokesman added. The private school owners interested in educational partnership with the PEF under any of its public private partnership based programmes should contact the concerned department of the foundation. They may also visit PEF official website www.pef.edu.pk for information and guidance, concluded the spokesman.