Online system against schools fee ordered

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ordered the Punjab government to make sure that private schools receive online complaints from parents about their fee structure.

Justice Shahid Jamil Khan also asked education department to run an awareness campaign for parents and public at large. Muhammad Shahid and a number of other parents had filed petitions against private schools for enhancing fee disproportionate to annual percentage permitted under the law.

The petitioners through their lawyer argued that Punjab Private Education Institute Act 2016 allowed five to eight percent annual increase in fee, however, the private schools had not been following the law. They said the schools had been increasing their fee beyond the permitted limit putting an unbearable financial burden on the parents. They asked the court to order the government to enforce the relevant law on the private schools.

A special secretary for education department told the court that the government had been implementing the laws and taking action against the delinquent schools on the complaints lodged by the parents.

Justice Khan observed that there should be an online complaint registration system of all private schools for the convenience of parents. He directed the secretary to ensure that the all the schools mentioned their online complaint address on fee vouchers. He further ordered the secretary to issue a notification to this effect and launch an awareness campaign.

The judge adjourned further hearing until March 6 and sought a compliance report from the secretary. Lawyers of private schools also undertook before the court to comply with the order in letter and spirit.