PESHAWAR, Oct 15: The owners of private educational institutions have opposed a draft bill, approved by provincial cabinet for regulating private schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and termed it an anti-education step of the government.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, National Education Council chairman Nazar Hussain said that education sector was already in pathetic condition owing to growing political interference, favouritism, nepotism and corruption. Any such law would lead to closure of private educational institutions, he added.

“We have reservations at the passage of draft bill for establishment of private schools regulatory authority without consent of relevant stakeholders and private sector,” Mr Hussain said. He said that the bill should be withdrawn immediately to save private educational institutions in the province.

The NEC chairman said that approval of the draft bill by the provincial cabinet was violation of law under the Education Code 1935. He added that the superior court had delivered a judgment on February 2011 to implement the law in both public and private education sector but government started victimising only private sector. He alleged that the move was unlawful and against the existing relevant rules.

Mr Hussain said that the bill was aimed at bringing amendments in the existing laws for improvement of facilities at private educational institutions and better incentives to teaching staff. He, however, said that the education code had been framed under a comprehensive strategy, covering all aspects including educational facilities and other procedural requirements.

The NEC chairman asked the government to abstain from destroying private education sector in the province. He claimed that private education sector was rapidly flourishing and playing an integral role in promotion of education by maintaining quality.

Mr Hussain demanded of the government to review its decision in best interest of students and scrape the draft bill about formation of private schools regulatory authority as it had caused unrest among the owners of educational institutions.