ISLAMABAD - Ministry of Capital Administration and Development (CAD) - disregarding genuine problems of educational institutes like dilapidated buildings, shortage of staff, laboratories, libraries and lavatory facilities - has instructed the principals of all educational institutions to paint their buses yellow.
Joint Secretary CAD, Rafiq Tahir held a meeting with principals of 35 colleges the other day. Despite opposition from most of the educationists the move of the federal minister and secretary was implemented.
School administration has been instructed to implement the decision within 10 days, due to which around 500 buses will be stopped for a week. It was decided in the meeting that special uniform would be mandatory for driver and conductors besides appointment of female conductors in buses for female students.
Objection was also raised on the appointment of the female conductors in buses for female students but their reservation was turned down.
Principals expressed their concerns and said that the education department is already facing severe financial crunch and around Rs 100,000 will be spent on each bus. But they were told that the decision has been made and all principals have to implement it.
Educationists said that CAD should have spent this amount on the purchase of books, equipment for laboratories and books for library. Moreover, students will suffer, as bus service will be stopped for over a week.
They said that students’ fee could be decreased from that money and added, “We don’t know why CAD has instructed to change the colour of buses”.
It is pertinent to mention here that parents would be troubled enough to pick and drop their son and daughters if buses were stopped for over a week.