DHA schools deny admission to outsiders

Parents required to submit original allotment letters,tenancy agreements to prove residence in DHA

By Khalid Khattak

LAHORE: The administration of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has allegedly banned the admission of non-residents’ children to the schools run by the authority, The News has learnt.A number of parents expressed their concern over the ban terming it tantamount to infringement on the basic human rights. They said the administration had, in fact, adopted an unfair policy by restricting access of the non-DHA children to its schools, adding the schools should be open to all the children without any discrimination. An aggrieved parent while talking to The News said, after the ban, the parents seeking their children’s admissions to the DHA schools were required to provide original allotment letters or original tenancy agreements to prove their residence in DHA. Shahid, the parent of a child, said the new policy was affecting a large number of people of the DHA surrounding localities as their children were being denied admissions to DHA run schools. “The residents of Gulberg, Cantt and other localities prefer to send their children to DHA schools because of quality education being offered by the institutes”, he said adding “However, the new policy has disappointed and deprived them of the facility”.Shafiq, another citizen affected by the ban, expressed his apprehensions regarding the new admission policy saying it would promote corruption as some people might arrange fake tenancy agreements to prove their residence in the Defence Housing Authority in order to secure their children’s admission to the DHA-run- schools. “Such issues are likely to be witnessed in future if DHA does not reverse the policy”, he said, demanding the DHA authorities to immediately withdrawal the decision. “Is DHA out of Pakistan?” asked Sadia, a mother of two, saying it was unfortunate that children of non-DHA residents were being given the least priority for admissions to the DHA-run schools. “If things go on like this, the non-DHA residents may have to provide a visa for entry in the DHA in future”, she commented. It has been learnt by The News that around five educational institutions are currently operating in the DHA under the control of its administration where a large number of students, both from within and outside the DHA, are getting education.When contacted, spokesperson DHA, Tajamul Hussain, said the DHA residents had been complaining that their children could not get admission to the Authority’s schools, adding a policy had recently been introduced according to which children of the residents would be given first priority for admission. He said, earlier, the DHA schools had been following open policy, adding, from the new academic session, the schools would follow new policy according to which only children of the DHA residents would be given admission on priority basis. He further said non-DHA residents were not being denied admission, adding, however, they were on the second priority. DHA Director Education Col (r) K S Babar, however, denied introduction of any new policy in connection with the admissions to the DHA schools. He said DHA residents had been given priority, adding children of the non-DHA residents had also been granted admission since long.

Source: The News International
Sunday, 13 June, 2008