Private schools worried by proposed oversight body

All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association representatives reject draft of setting up of commission.

RAWALPINDI:

The managements of private schools have raised concerns over legislation proposed by the Punjab government to regulate private schools in the province.

The representatives of All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) on Saturday rejected the proposed draft for the setting up of an education commission through an act of the Punjab Assembly.

Sharing their reservations with The Express Tribune, the office bearers of APPSMA said they would not put up with any restriction on the smooth functioning of private educational institutes under the proposed legislation.

“A 1984 ordinance regulating private education already exists and we are more than satisfied with the current law. The provincial authorities can register private schools under the law and could have these institutes inspected whenever needed,” said APPSMA President Abrar Ahmed Khan.

Calling the new regulatory authority “an effort to discourage private schools’ administrations”, the APPSMA representative said schools would resist the move and struggle for the rights of private education.

The main reason for differing with the proposed legislation is that the government had not consulted representatives from the private education sector in Punjab, Abrar said.

He urged the Punjab chief minister not to put curbs on private education as it would discourage investment in the sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2012.