Punjab Private Schools Association announce 2-day strike against Education Authority Bill

LAHORE: All Punjab Private Schools Federation and Pakistan Education Council on Sunday, announced that private schools across the province will remain close on 8^th and 9^th March 2016 as a result of the conditional permission approved by the government for 10% increase in school fee.

The owners of private schools are of the view that the government must permit for the increase of at least 10 percent in the school fee as only 5 percent increase in school fee is not enough and has become the base of this protest. It is important to mention here that, on 26^th February 2016 Punjab Assembly has passed the bill and permit the authorities of private schools to increase 5 percent of fee.

The association of all Punjab private schools has warned to go on strike on Tuesday in protest against the law that regulates private schools in Punjab and puts constraint on raising school fees.

The All Pakistan Private Schools Federation (APPSF) condemned Punjab government after the provincial assembly accepted Private Educational Institutions (Promotion as well as Regulation) the modified bill 2015 on Friday.

Now, the authorities are expecting that the issue will be resolved through discussions.

The Chairperson of Private schools Federation, Kashif Mirza, said that the government threatened to send behind the bars.

As mentioned earlier, as per the representative of the Federation all A-category schools of Lahore will remain close standing on the decision taken by the Private Schools Federation.

In the past, the parents of large number of students also gathered at Lahore Liberty chowk to raise their voice regarding this fee hike issue at private schools.  

Another owner of private school, while conversing said that, this amendment is completely unacceptable as it pushes all the pressure on the private schools.

The modified bill for private schools, which was passed in the last of February barred them to increase in fees without giving it in notice of higher authorities and also strictly confines these schools to ask student to purchase uniform or books as well from any particular shop.

The bill also strictly asked regarding the registration of the schools of private zone and also sets a due date for them. Moreover, it was also mentioned that those who will not be following the direction according to the bill will be fined heavily.

Hereby, some sources also told that the meeting has officially taken place between the authorities of Private Schools Federation and the Education Minister in the beginning of this month, in which the attendees told regarding their reservations to the minister and rejected the changes in the education bill.