Government increased pay of its employees by seven per cent but is asking parents to pay tuition fees increased by 10%
RAWALPINDI: This is with reference to a news item which states that the government and private school owners have agreed to reduce the increase in school tuition fees to 10 per cent. I am not at all satisfied with the decision. The federal government has increased the pay of its employees by a mere seven per cent and is asking parents to pay tuition fees that have been increased by 10 per cent. I have three school-going children; this translates into me paying an extra 30 per cent in tuition fees alone. In addition to the rising prices of other commodities, my paycheck with a mere seven per cent increase, in effect, would actually be reduced by 40 per cent, as compared to last year. The government needs to urgently look into the matter and not let the education mafia loot citizens.
The government must also invest in improving the quality of education imparted in government schools so that people have the choice of sending their children to these schools rather than getting fleeced in the name of better education. Lastly, perhaps the government should consider exempting private schools from paying taxes until public-sector schools improve their standards.
U K Dar
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2015.
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