RAWALPINDI: This refers to Tabassam Sharif’s letter “Concession in school fee” (November 20). I appreciate and second the concerns raised by the writer for the reason that the issue raised in the letter is faced by almost every family that has more than one child studying in the same private educational institution and is being deprived of concession in school fee that siblings should get.
Besides charging hefty tuition fees and other miscellaneous charges, private schools also have separate charges for itemised services such as computer fee, safety fee, sports and cultural activities, etc, which add to the financial woes of parents. I fail to understand that if the educational institutions themselves do not obey the rule of law, how can they make their students understand the importance of law and raise a new breed of law-abiding citizens? I have gone through the judgment of the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court and have been following the contempt proceedings and feel that the judgment is a true reflection of the voice of parents who are being deprived of their legitimate and legal right of concession in siblings’ fees as envisaged in the judgment. I would like to further suggest that this remarkable decision should be taken as a precedent by all the high courts of the country and the same wisdom and judicial acumen based upon the concepts of fundamental rights — including equality before law and equal protection of law as enshrined in the Constitution — should be followed by directing the authorities concerned. This will be to formulate a uniform, fair, transparent, economical and justified fee structure for all private educational institutions, while ensuring the provision of basic facilities in the institutions such as playgrounds, libraries, labs, etc.
Malik Imran Safdar
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2012.
