CJP against over 5% annual increase in school fees

Khosa asks private schools to surrender licences if they required over 5% increase

ISLAMABAD: The chief justice of Pakistan has said private schools requiring more than five per cent annual increase in fees should surrender their licences.

A three-member apex court bench, headed by CJP Asif Saeed Khosa, heard the case pertaining to exorbitant fees being charged by private schools on Tuesday.

CJP Khosa remarked, “Everyone knows what happens in schools. They are making profits in billions of rupees.”

The CJP inquired as to how private schools were entitled to charge separately for Halloween parties?

Counsel for private schools Makhdoom Ali Khan maintained that the fee structure given by the schools presented details of all other charges in addition to the tuition fees.



“Money for trips are always charged separately,” said the counsel.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan said schools were charging separately for trips and other days while also asking students to bring cakes in the name of cake day.

The CJP said items brought by children were usually taken away by the teachers.

“The students are never given things they bring to school,” he said.

Parents of private school students said lack of discipline in private educational institutions was giving way to use of drugs by schoolchildren while private schools were also promoting a western way of living.

The CJP remarked that if the parents were not satisfied with the school environment, they should change the school of their children.

“No one has forced you to get your child enrolled at the private school,” said the CJP, adding that parents who disliked days like Halloween, Valentine’s as well as concerts should look elsewhere.

“The court is not responsible for the system of schooling,” he said, adding that the judiciary was meant to oversee law.

The parents said 5% annual increase in school fees was bearable.

The CJP replied that the court would decide the case keeping in view the interest of the parents and other stakeholders.

“Basic rights cannot be returned but they can be regulated,” said the CJP. “Provision of education as well as regulating the private schools is the duty of the state.”



Counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan said the void created by the state’s educational system was filled by private schools.

“The private schools formulate their programmes in line with modern standards of education and also ensure training of their teachers,” he added.

The CJP said any school needing more than 5% increase in annual fees should surrender its license.

“If the business of private schools is not doing well, their owners may look for business opportunities elsewhere,” said Khosa, adding that everyone knew how the schools were being run nowadays.

“They make enormous amounts of money on account of uniforms and books as well. The schools are earning in billions of rupees. Any loss the schools report is actually a cut in the profits they have been previously getting,” he added.

Justice Ahsan said some private schools had even made their own colleges and universities.

Ahsan suggested that schools should wait at least three years for an extraordinary increase in fees.

The CJP adjourned the hearing of the case till today (Wednesday) and asked all parties to complete their arguments as the case needed to be wrapped up without any delay.