Education secy summoned in school fees case

Petitioner says high fee structure of private schools is against the Constitution

LAHORE: Expressing his dismay over the non-implementation of the verdict of the Supreme Court on exorbitant fees charged by private schools, Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi of the Lahore High Court (LHC) summoned the secretary and executive officer (education) by September 26.

As the proceeding commenced, Justice Sethi observed that under what law the exorbitant fees were being charged. The petitioner's lawyer advocate Azhar Siddique implored the court that the private schools violated the decision of the Supreme Court and deliberately started charging exorbitant fees. At which Justice Sethi remarked that under which law the fees were charged.

The petitioner contended in the petition that the fee structure of private schools and non-implementation of structural exercise of power when giving admission is a blunt violation of Article 10-A read with Article(s) 3, 4, 5, 18, 19-A and 25 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.

Parents’ councils to review fee structure of private schools

The petitioner maintained that the demand of high fees by the private schools is also a violation of Article 25-A of the Constitution as well as Article(s) 3 and 9 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.

The Supreme Court had declared that its order for the reduction of fees by 20% ceased to be effective, subject to recalculation of fee by using the fee prevailing in 2017 as the base fee.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, on May 9 had reserved the judgment.

Former CJP Saqib Nisar on December 13, 2018, had ordered a 20% reduction in monthly fees for private schools charging more than Rs5,000.

Private schools continue to fleece parents in Lahore

It was modified on January 16, 2019 with the direction that the private schools to reduce fee by 20% and this amount shall be made on amounts in excess of Rs5,000 which essentially means that notwithstanding the total amount of fee, the first Rs5,000 is exempt from reduction of 20% and such reduction would only be applicable to amounts in excess of Rs5,000 per month.

The petitioner requested the court that directions be given to the respondents to restraint all the private schools from illegal increase the school fee in the light of the judgment dated 12.06.2019 passed by the august Supreme Court of Pakistan till the final audit of the School Institutions by the Auditor General of Pakistan in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2019.