Government ban private institutes from raising school fee

Islamabad: The federal government has issued the notice to the representatives of all private educational institutes including (schools, colleges and universities) that they are not permitted to increase the school fees arbitrarily and a decision in this respect will be taken by prime minister before August 1st, 2016.

The matter of private schools’ fees caught the attention of authorities last year when large number of private institutes arbitrarily increased their school fees causing a nationwide cry from the parents. Though, later the private schools had to withdraw their decision after the PM and courts of the country intervened interfered and banded them from increasing the school or colleges fee.

On Wednesday in a high-level meeting of Capital Administration & Development Division (CADD) attended by the management of private institutes, parents as well as the authorities of CADD presided over by Minister CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, it was decided that a position quo will be observed on the fee structures and fee charges in the private schools till August 1st.

The meeting was also attended by Secretary CADD, Additional Secretary CADD, chairperson Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) as well as the representatives of different education institutes in the rural areas of Islamabad.

Read More: PEIRA dismisses proposal of increasing school fee

The Minister CADD expressed his gratitude to the management of private schools for complying along with the decision of last year of not increasing school fees.

This year, too the decision on increase in school fees would be taken in consultation with the prime minister and all the schools working in the private sector would be conveyed the decision by August 1, he said.

The first as well as the most important priority of our government is to make quality education accessible to every child whereas the prime minister and his education reforms team led by Maryam Nawaz Sharif are quite clear about this, he added.

Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif himself started comprehensive package of reforms in education sector from the government schools of Islamabad. The government also appreciates the role of private institutes as well as their contribution, he added.

Read More: Private schools withdraw the decision of increase in fee

While talking to media, large number of the participants of meeting representing parents of the private schools’ aspirants, expressed their serious concerns regarding promise of Nawaz Sharif of August 1 deadline on school feels.

It looks like that the government under the pressure of private schools’ management has agreed to the raise the school fees. If this is the case then there will be a nationwide protest once again by the parents’ associations, they warned.

Already, the private institutes are charging excessive fees and any further raise will amount to additional burden on the parents, said parents.