Private schools still claiming two-month summer vacation fee in advance

Rawalpindi
In violation of the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC), the heads of private educational institutions are claiming two-month summer vacation fee fromstudents, which speaks volumes about inefficiency on part of the concerned authorities in checking this illegal practice.
The Lahore High Court (LHC), through a verdict recently, barred all educational institutions, both government and private, from claiming two-month summer vacation fee from students. However, ‘The News’ received complaints from a large number of students as well as their parents that private educational institutions in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are still charging fee for summer holidays from them which is a sheer violation of the court orders.
Parents, while talking to this scribe, claimed that the managements of their children's schools are claiming two-month summer vacation fee from them. On the contrary, despite claiming two-month summer vacation fee, the managements of private educational institutions in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are making another violation by not paying salaries to the serving teachers in the summer vacation.
The violation being made by private educational institutions is contempt of court and the LHC should take immediate notice of it and order the closure of such academic institutions, the students and their parents demanded.
When this correspondent contacted the heads of several educational institutions, they despite violating rules and regulations and court orders, did not agree with the allegations. According to principals, some elements work to defame the name of their institutions and achieve their vested interests. When they were told that the complainants showed the fee cards of their children as an evidence, they refused to accept their fault. However, all heads asked parents to approach them in person in their offices and they would check up the matter and refund the amount of two-month fee, if found correct.
When the matter was brought into the notice of Executive District Officer (Education) Rawalpindi Qazi Zahoor, he expressed his anger and concern over the violation being reported against private academic institutions with regard to charging two-month summer vacation fee.
At the same time, he directed parents to contact him in person and provide the lists of educational institutions, which are violating court orders. Immediate action would be taken against the violating academic institutions, including imposition of huge fines.
Qazi Zahoor said that he would constitute a team for probing into the matter, including a secret survey and a thorough investigation. The fee amount paid by parents would be refunded, he added.