Fat-salaried to educate poor

Retired bureaucrats appointed in violation of Supreme Court orders to supervise Danish Schools construction

The cancer of corruption, loot, nepotism, jobbery and plunder has penetrated even the education sector in Pakistan. A case in point is the establishment of the Punjab Danish School and Centre of Excellence and construction of Danish Schools – a brainchild of the ‘visionary’ Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Viewpoint has learnt from sources.

The Punjab Chief Minister has appointed retired bureaucrat namely Yusuf Kamal as the Chief Executive of the Punjab Danish School and Centre of Excellence on contract basis in sheer violation of the Supreme Court orders.

In the same vein, Siddiq Chathho, also a retired bureaucrat, has been appointed as General Manager Engineering while another retired bureaucrat Rana Mahboob Alam has been posted as Director Implementation yet again in absolute violation of the Supreme Court orders.

The services of these three officials have been hired against hefty per month salaries on contract basis with multiple perks, privileges and allied benefits.

Yousaf Kamal was appointed Chairman Punjab Vocational Training Centre but later removed and appointed as Chief Executive of the Punjab Danish School and Centre of Excellence. The Punjab government sacked 23 contractual employees but not these three inevitable ones.

The tale of violation of rules and corruption do not simple end here. The respective District Coordination Officers (DCOs) have been authorized to supervise the construction work of these schools meant for the poor children in marginalized districts of Punjab.

The Punjab Danish School and Centre of Excellence is authorized to releasing the money for the construction of Danish Schools but its wings have been clipped as far as the check on the usage of money is concerned. It only transfers money in commercial accounts of DCOs in the Bank of Punjab and the rest is performed by the DCOs. The money shifted to the commercial accounts of respective DCOs is as per the orders of the Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

The Hasilpurt DCO has spent millions of rupees on the construction of tuff tile parking for 1000 vehicles in the school. Besides, Rs. 157 million have been spent on the road construction in the school. Likewise, in Danish School Bahawalnagar parking lot has been constructed for 500 vehicles.

On complaints, the Punjab Chief Secretary established an enquiry committee but both the DCOs simply refused to give them record of construction. Sources say that more than Rs. 2 billion have been siphoned off in such activities but so far no action has been taken against the responsible.

Perviaz Mendal Associates have designed the preparation of maps of Danish School buildings. Advance payments are made to the contractors, which are effecting the quality of construction.

Four projects of Danish Schools are in pipeline in Attock, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali and Rajenpur districts.

The solution of backwardness and poverty lies in the promotion of quality education. The Punjab government has launched Danish School System for destitute people where under Food Support Programme children of registered families would be provided all facilities free of cost.

Education up to higher secondary classes would be imparted in these schools and under this system every school would be English medium and religious courses would also be started in these schools.

Danish School System, a project of the Punjab government, originally meant for the poorest of the poor, will also cater to the affluent section of the society.