Nominal: Model college students may have to pay ‘charges’

Education minister seeks proposals before finalising the policy

ISLAMABAD: The government is mulling plans to ask students studying in the model educational institutions of the capital to pay certain ‘nominal’ charges.

The issue was discussed during a briefing Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood got from officials of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) in the capital. However, progress on the plan will only be made once the education minister gives the nod.

According to documents available with Daily Express, the government is mulling plans to impose 'nominal' charges on students of model colleges and has sought permission from the minister for the move.

One FDE director who attended the meeting said that during the meeting, Mahmood was told that federal government educational institutions in the federal capital had been provided with buses under the Prime Minister Education Reforms Programme (PMERP). Students riding in these buses are charged a bus fee.

Hence it was suggested that the model colleges should also be allowed to charge a nominal ‘maintenance’ fees from students of the federal capital.

At this, Mahmood directed the respective directors including Administration Director, Schools Director, and Model Colleges Director, to present to draft proposals which will be studied and then a proper policy can be formulated.

However, another FDE director who attended the meeting denied that any proposal had been tabled which violates Article 25-A.

Despite repeated attempts, education ministry officials could not be contacted.

The right to education clause, Article 25-A of the Constitution, states that “the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to 16 years in such manner as may be determined by law.”

Curiously, this may not be the first time that students of state-run schools will be asked to pay auxiliary charges. Previously, the government was charging students for using the school buses.

Government officials had explained the need for charging students bus fees as ‘cost-sharing’ since the finance ministry was not paying them to fuel up the buses. Hence they charged up to Rs600 from students. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2018.