PEIRA expresses helplessness in regulating fee of private schools

Islamabad: Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) on Monday expressed helplessness in regulating the school fee of private schools operating in Islamabad.

In a presentation given before National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR), the representatives of the Authority said that many private schools do not comply with the PIERA rules. They don’t have enough space as it is mentioned in the rules for a school and those small building are residential places. NCHR Chairman Justice (r) Ali Nawaz Chowhan along with Member Islamabad Capital Territory NCHR Ch. Shafique heard the high fee case at NCHR head office.

PIERA member Imtiaz appeared before the Commission and delivered a detailed presentation and submitted copy of law, rules and other documents. In his presentation, he told the Commission that most of the private schools in Islamabad are in violation with the PIERA Act 2013 and its rules of 2016 and some of its rules are stuck down by the judicial forum and now the authority itself is handicapped to perform its functions.

The PEIRA representative informed the Commission that in Islamabad, 365 schools are in the residential areas and almost 80 thousand of the students are enrolled in those schools. They said that private schools are operating in the manner of business corporations and are deviating from the noble cause of imparting education which is actually their main purpose and not adhering to law and rules of the PIERA.

They said that these schools are not with equipped with facilities as mentioned in the rules. These schools operate without proper ventilation system nor enough playgrounds for extra circular activities. There are no proper mechanisms or requirement of teachers and teachers are paid minimum salaries which are in violation with the PIERA rule.

“But schools are charging high fee from the students and many school are offering external degree and charge higher course registration fees from parents. Course registration fee is not mentioned on the website of institute who conduct external examinations.”

PIERA representative informed the Commission that PIERA is handicapped as it cannot properly exercise its authority due to judicial obstructions. NCHR after hearing the detailed presentation of PIERA, fixed the next hearing of the issue on October 9, 2018.