(In)expensive education: Fee increments capped at 10%

Decision was taken by education minister and private schools’ managements

KARACHI:

The lengthy negotiations and deliberations between the Sindh government and the managements of private schools have almost borne fruit as both have agreed to cap the annual increase in school fees at 10 per cent. This too is contradictory to the law which states that the annual increase may not be over five per cent.

The 10 per cent formula was decided and agreed upon after a two-hour-long meeting of private schools' managements with Sindh's education minister, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro.

Speaking to the media, Khuhro said that many schools in Karachi were violating the rules of fees increment and had raised the tuition fees by 40 to 60 per cent, without even taking the government into confidence. He said that show-cause notices would be issued to such schools.

When asked that while the law permits to increase five per cent annually, how could  he allow the 10 per cent increase, Khuhro said that the law allowed them to negotiate with schools. He said that the schools would have to go back to their previous fees as of July and then increase it by 10 per cent. "A joint parliamentary committee will be formed with the representation of schools and educationists to look into their issues," he said, adding that all private schools were bound to enrol 10 per cent students from underprivileged backgrounds.

According to the minister, anyone who violates Thursday's decision would be penalised according to Section 11 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

However, according to sources, many prestigious private schools were not comfortable with Khuhro's decision. They argued during the meeting that they had already given salary increments to their teachers, which they could not take back. "If you enforce this rule, the next protest will be from the teachers, "said one of the private school's representative. Another representative argued that they had raised fees according to their input cost and they won't be able to take that back.

A complaint cell is also being set up on Khuhro's directions, which will monitor the implementation of the decision.

CM intervenes

Meanwhile, the chief minister has constituted a committee, comprising members of parliament, notables and education experts to monitor and bring the working of private school management (PSM) within the rules of the Private School Institutions Control Act. The CM directed the relevant authority to re-visit the existing rules of the Act and remove all weaknesses, if any. Shah has also asked the additional chief secretary for education to call an urgent meeting of the PSM and provide immediate relief to parents of children studying in private schools.

He made these directions in response to the complaint of fee increase in private schools raised by the delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers, which called on him at the CM House Karachi on Thursday.

PTI MNA Dr Arif Alvi led the delegation, which included MPAs Khuram Sher Zaman, Hafeezuddin and Dr Seema Zia. Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Special Assistant to CM, Waqar Mehdi, Rashid Rabbani and additional chief secretary for education Fazalullah Pechuho were also present in the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the CM said that under the existing laws, the private schools' managements cannot increase the fees by more than five per cent, without the consent of the education department. He assured the delegation that no one will be allowed to violate the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2015.