Private schools protest FBISE fee hike

Say increase in fee will put low-fee institutions under financial burden

RAWALPINDI:

Private schools say a sharp increase in affiliation, inspection, renewal, security and other fees will put low- and medium-fee institutions under severe financial pressure.

A delegation of the Joint Action Committee of All Private Schools Associations met Federal Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

The minister said that the recommendations, proposals, demands and difficulties of all private schools' organisations against the excessive increase in fees would be addressed.

He said private educational institutions were helping the government in promoting education in the country in the best possible manner and providing full support.

He stated this while talking to a delegation of leaders of all private schools' organisations that presented a charter of demands. A delegation of the Joint Action Committee of All Private Schools Associations met the federal education minister.

The delegation included former Board of Governors member Nasir Mahmood, Board of Governors member Hafiz Mohammad Basharat, APSMA North Punjab President Abrar Ahmed Khan, Chaudhry Mohammad Obaidullah, Private Schools Network President Maqbool Hussain Dar, All Pakistan Private Schools Association (Registered) President Malik Naseem Ahmed, former Board of Governors member and APSMA Women Wing Rawalpindi Division President Mrs Sakina Taj, and Educational Society leader Raja Khalid Mahmood.

The delegation apprised the minister of its serious concerns over the several-fold increase in affiliation, inspection, renewal, security and other related fees by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. It said the decision would put particularly low- and medium-fee private educational institutions under severe financial pressure.

The delegation maintained that private educational institutions, as partners of the government, were providing quality education to millions of children.