“Licences of those schools not following the PHC’s verdict should be cancelled,” says Ayub. PHOTO: FILE
Leaders of NGOs, including Karwan Chairman Khalid Ayub and Association for the Creation of Employment Project Manager Zubair Ambia addressed a press conference at the Peshawar Press club on Monday.
They said schools are not following the sibling policy despite court orders and are charging a large amount of fees from parents. “Licences of those schools not following the PHC’s verdict should be cancelled,” Ayub said, adding that private schools should not be allowed to increase school fees by more than 10% annually.
“Our children have been compelled to purchase books, uniforms and stationary supplies from schools at double the prices and are not allowed to purchase them from the market,” he added.
Parents attending the press conference said they would never send their children to private schools if government schools offered good-quality education.
Azra Shafique said she has four children studying in a private school, but the school refused to offer the half-fee concession for as directed by the sibling policy. In addition to tuition fees, we have to pay a canteen fee, library fee, magazine fee, sports day fee and a number of other hidden costs, she added.
“Parents are even being billed for the school’s promotional material like newsletters.” She asserted that school bus charges should not be applied during summer vacations.
They asked the chief justice to take notice and make schools refund the excessive fees they have charged since February 2011, which is when the court issued its verdict.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2013.
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