Private schools across Pakistan are owned by the rich and famous, callously influential and brutally cunning
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: The apex court has in recent times given some landmark verdicts on the staggering amount of tuition fee being extorted by big named private schools across Pakistan. These schools are owned by the rich and famous, callously influential and brutally cunning. The exploitation other than low salaries for the hard-working teaching and support staff is so deeply rooted that sometimes it gets hidden in apparent good deeds of these so-called thugs of education.
Owners unfairly charge parents. Moreover, they also discriminate against the staff teachers in the name of ‘Teacher Child concession’ — whereby the staff get their children educated in the same school for nominal or sometimes without any fee — by disallowing their children to take up the roles of ‘class representatives’, ‘head boy or head girl’ and offering no scholarships for outstanding children of the staff.
Such policies are not in line with fair play. Every child has a right to live life to its fullness. Co-curricular activities play a great role in personality building of young people. It’s heart breaking for children when they cannot take part in this or in that activity only because they are the offspring of staff teachers.
The owners are so powerful that no teacher can actually raise a voice against this injustice. The honourable court is earnestly requested to take notice of this important matter impacting the lives of thousands of children. Prime Minister Imran Khan too should look into it and take prompt action to remove this discrimination and give children a fair chance to make Pakistan a great country.
Malik Atif Mahmood Majoka
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2018.
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