Elite huddle: Private institutes oppose fixed fee, salary structure
Meeting discusses modalities of private schools regulatory act.
In 2007, the number of private institutions was 570 while there are an estimated 967 institutes at present, according to a survey by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD). PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The heads of capital’s private educational institutes huddled at a government-organised symposium on Wednesday to discuss implementation of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) Act 2013. The meeting, the first of its kind, also shed light on disparities in fee structure, illegal construction of schools in residential areas and other issues.
The number of private educational institutions in rural and urban areas of Islamabad has spiralled over the last few years. In 2007, the number of private institutions was 570 while there are an estimated 967 institutes at present, according to a survey by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).
Earlier this year, PEIRA was empowered by the parliament to regulate private schools and colleges by setting up laws to oversee their functioning.
Calls for the act’s strict implementation have been doing the rounds for a while along with questions over high fees and staff qualification.
At the meeting, some education tycoons proposed suggestions for amendments to the act while others came down hard on it.
After discussions and presentations from some participants, four committees were constituted to finalise various things such as fee structures, monitoring of institutes and further amendments in the act.
Beaconhouse School System Executive Director Nasir Kasuri opposed some of the sections of the act including regularising student fees and salaries of teachers, saying, “I believe the market is the best evaluator of salary and fee issues”. He said the rationale in the increase of fee structure was directly linked to inflation rate which affects rent and hiring of staff, while compromising on it means employing substandard means of education.
Headstart Schools Chief Executive Officer Nazneen Murtaza suggested alternative means of education for students who are not high achievers and stressed for the provision of facilities for disabled students. She said community service was ignored by the elite private schools and should be encouraged.
Frobel’s International School Chief Financial Officer Tariq Javed justified the increase in fees but said it should be done in liaison with PEIRA. He also suggested the need for interschool competitive activities which are overshadowed due to academic pressures.
He accepted the much-criticised practice of private institutions operating in residential areas but said they are compelled to do so. “Commercial land is prohibitively expensive and we have limited land purchasing options. We thus opt for residential areas,” he added.
He also offered a jaw-dropping suggestion to CADD Secretary Faridullah Khan — that government schools built on large tracts of land should be shared with private schools.
Roots Schools System CEO Faisal Mushtaq opposed the act and asked CADD officials not to put a price tag on fees and salaries as such acts will polarise and dilute the healthy atmosphere created by private schools.
Some of the participants floated the suggestion of a private-public partnership and peer group evaluation. The committees formed were directed to submit their recommendations by November 28, while the bodies will meet on December 3 at Elite International School in Sector F-10/3 to finalise the recommendations and suggestions.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2013.
The heads of capital’s private educational institutes huddled at a government-organised symposium on Wednesday to discuss implementation of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) Act 2013. The meeting, the first of its kind, also shed light on disparities in fee structure, illegal construction of schools in residential areas and other issues.
The number of private educational institutions in rural and urban areas of Islamabad has spiralled over the last few years. In 2007, the number of private institutions was 570 while there are an estimated 967 institutes at present, according to a survey by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).
Earlier this year, PEIRA was empowered by the parliament to regulate private schools and colleges by setting up laws to oversee their functioning.
Calls for the act’s strict implementation have been doing the rounds for a while along with questions over high fees and staff qualification.
At the meeting, some education tycoons proposed suggestions for amendments to the act while others came down hard on it.
After discussions and presentations from some participants, four committees were constituted to finalise various things such as fee structures, monitoring of institutes and further amendments in the act.
Beaconhouse School System Executive Director Nasir Kasuri opposed some of the sections of the act including regularising student fees and salaries of teachers, saying, “I believe the market is the best evaluator of salary and fee issues”. He said the rationale in the increase of fee structure was directly linked to inflation rate which affects rent and hiring of staff, while compromising on it means employing substandard means of education.
Headstart Schools Chief Executive Officer Nazneen Murtaza suggested alternative means of education for students who are not high achievers and stressed for the provision of facilities for disabled students. She said community service was ignored by the elite private schools and should be encouraged.
Frobel’s International School Chief Financial Officer Tariq Javed justified the increase in fees but said it should be done in liaison with PEIRA. He also suggested the need for interschool competitive activities which are overshadowed due to academic pressures.
He accepted the much-criticised practice of private institutions operating in residential areas but said they are compelled to do so. “Commercial land is prohibitively expensive and we have limited land purchasing options. We thus opt for residential areas,” he added.
He also offered a jaw-dropping suggestion to CADD Secretary Faridullah Khan — that government schools built on large tracts of land should be shared with private schools.
Roots Schools System CEO Faisal Mushtaq opposed the act and asked CADD officials not to put a price tag on fees and salaries as such acts will polarise and dilute the healthy atmosphere created by private schools.
Some of the participants floated the suggestion of a private-public partnership and peer group evaluation. The committees formed were directed to submit their recommendations by November 28, while the bodies will meet on December 3 at Elite International School in Sector F-10/3 to finalise the recommendations and suggestions.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2013.