Punjab minister asks schools to offer discount

Dr Murad Raas says govt to table bill to stop private institutions from charging extra fees

LAHORE:

Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas has directed all the private schools in the province to give 20% discount in the fees of students till the coronavirus pandemic comes to an end.

He said this while addressing the Punjab Assembly on Monday.

Responding to queries put forth by lawmakers regarding school education, he remarked that the provincial government plans to introduce legislation to regulate private schools whereby violations of laws would not be tolerated.

“They will also be prevented from issuing additional fee vouchers to parents,” he added. The education minister warned that teachers involved in unpleasant incidents reported in some schools would be dealt with sternly.

Raas came down hard on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), questioning elected representatives of the party over their performance under the previous government.

“The credit only goes to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government which introduced legislations at a maximum level on different issues,” the minister maintained.

During the general discussion on health, Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid claimed the government had done what it could do to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak but the opposition criticized it unnecessarily over its alleged failure in all sectors.

Boasting the performance of the government, the health minister said there has been a nearly 90% decline in the number of new coronavirus infections in the province.

“Around 600 tests were being conducted during the initial stage of the pandemic’s spread but now the authorities are capable of conducting over 12,000 tests per day,” she highlighted.

“The provincial government has also started establishing mother-child hospitals in Punjab,” the health minister underscored.

Moreover, Dr Yasmin Rashid told the house that Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to grant a civil award to late Dr Mustafa Kamal Pasha, the former vice chancellor of Nishtar Medical University.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2020.