Higher education: Govt urged to regulate fees of private varsity

LAHORE:

Academics from public universities have urged the government to regulate the fee structure of private universities.

Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Punjab president Hasan Mobeen Alam and Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) secretary Mehboob Hussain issued a statement on Sunday praising the government for its decision to regulate private schools. They said regulating private school fees was the need of the hour. “The government should also regulate the fees charged by private universities across the country.” They said private universities charged “millions in fees”. They said public universities could enroll a limited number of students every year. “Private universities cash in on this and exploit the working class [by charging high fees].” Hussain told The Express Tribune the FAPUASA would launch a movement after Eid to inform people how private universities fleeced them. “The business model of private universities does not favour common man. We aim to derive the government’s attention to the issue,” he said. On Saturday, the Punjab government had issued an ordinance that barred private schools from raising the fees.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st,  2015.