Private school owners adding to parents’ woes: CJP

Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday said the court will not allow private school managements to increase fees, causing hardships to parents.

“The private educational institutions have become an industry minting money from parents but we will not allow their managements to play havoc with them”, the CJP remarked while heading a three-member bench of the apex court.

The bench resumed hearing in the petitions, filed by parents against the hike in private school fees. The court directed that the parties concerned should sit with the Law and Justice Commission and determine a fee and give recommendations about drafting a law.

The court further ruled that after finalisation of recommendations, a committee will be formed comprising all the counsel for the respondents (private schools) to resolve the issue. The chief justice observed that parents desired to impart best education to their children but the private educational institutions were playing havoc with their sentiments by charging them high fees.

The chief Justice also asked the private schools counsel to render such a job that favoured the public. “It has become an industry but we will not allow the private schools to increase fees”, he remarked.

“A Grade 18 or 19 officer normally draws a salary of Rs100,000 to Rs150,000 per month so how a man having three children is supposed to pay a fee of Rs30,000 per child?” There should be regulation that could draw a proper mechanism for regularisation of fee structure”, the CJP added.

Latif Khosa, amicus curie, told the court that there were three different kinds of education systems in the country and the students of all the three systems hated each other. At this, the chief justice said he would suggest them watching the movie “Hidchki”.

The chief justice said he was well aware of some schools where drugs were supplied to the students by the lower staff on a regular basis. "I want everyone to have the same syllabus, books, uniform and bag but could not do this," CJP said.

Addressing private school owners, the CJP said, "You are charging a fee of your choice and say it is your right to trade. You are selling education." The justice asked them to refrain from charging high fee that children could not continue schooling.

The counsel for parents suggested a forensic audit of schools as their owners claimed that they did not get enough profit but one could see them opening new branches. At this, the CJP said if that’s the case then the court could order an audit to determine whether they were facing losses or not.

The chief justice further said they will also look into the tax returns of private school owners. The counsel for private school owners, however, contended that they had presented audit details of their accounts. The chief justice then said they had issued a policy through the Law and Justice Commission. The court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.