Feudal lords force Hashoo Foundation to close six schools

Local feudal lords have forced Hashoo Foundation (HF), a charitable organisation engaged in providing quality education for the underprivileged at their doorsteps, to close down six running schools in various parts of the country, Dr Salim Mehmud, Trustee of the NGO told Business Recorder here on Wednesday.
He said that the Hashoo Foundation, chaired and financed by Sadruddin Hashwani had established a chain of more than 31 schools in the rural areas of all the provinces of Pakistan in a short span of three years and it provided free uniforms and free educational material to the deprived children.
Dr Mehmud, an eminent scientist and former chairman of Suparco, regretted that six local feudals in 12 districts demanded of the Hashoo Foundation to pay them each Rs 100,000 every month, otherwise they would not allow the school to impart education to the poor.
He admitted that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the philanthropists and other public spirited citizens to work in the rural areas for imparting education or poverty alleviation.
He said that although the local administration co-operated with the HF, yet as a Trustee he opted to close down the school rather than putting lives of the students and teachers in danger.
He said that the current enrolment of children is 1408 in 25 primary and secondary schools set by HF and teaching is done by staff of 56 teachers, who possess high educational qualification. The programme is entirely funded by the Hashoo Group of Companies and generous personal financial support of Sadruddin Hashwani.
Dr Mehmud said that HF is one among few national organisations which has been awarded NPO Certification by Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy and is a role model for corporate sector discharging social responsibility efficiently and effectively.
He said that the Foundation has set up schools at: NWFP: Mansehra (rural): 3 (Potha; Baffa and Dhariyal); Haripur (rural): 2 (Bareela and Pind Muneem); Abbottabad 1: Chinat; Nowshera (rural): 2 (Aza Khel Payan; Nowshera Kalan); Mardan (rural): 1 (Rashakai); Punjab: Rawalpindi (rural): 2 ( Numbromal and Riyouintee); Sindh: Hyderabad (rural): 2 (Bhatte and Arain); Sangar (rural): 2 (Zawar and Brohi); Capital: Islamabad (rural): 1 (Gohra Shahan); Gwadar: 2: (Baloch Ward; Nya Abad); Lasebela: 1 (Baroot): Lahore: 1 (Islampura); Sheikhupura: 2 (Bharath Pind, Rachna Town): Khairpur: 2 (Naseer Faqir, Arab Solangi).
Dr Shabbir Hussain, CEO, HF said that all the schools follow modern curriculum and teaching methods. The school programme is designed by a team of PhDs who specialise in teaching, science and educational management.