Verdict on private schools fee case reserved

LAHORE: THE Lahore High Court after going through the report presented by secretary schools education reserved verdict on the petition regarding implementation of the Supreme Court judgment about excessive fee charged by private schools.

Punjab schools and education department on Thursday told the Lahore High Court that all chief executive officers of districts had been directed to ensure implementation of a Supreme Court judgment about excessive fee charged by private schools.

“All CEOs have been directed to strictly enforce these orders in their jurisdiction and there shall be no deviation, digression or delay in this regard,” said a report filed by secretary schools education Muhammad Mahmood before Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi who seized with a public interest petition. The report said that the CEOs had also been ordered to set up immediately requisite complaint cell and convene meetings of respective district registering authorities. It said the CEOs had been directed to instruct private schools to provide their latest fee voucher to know if the private schools were adhering to law.

“In case of default or complaint, immediate and stern action shall be initiated by DRAs against the defaulter private school under intimation to the office of secretary schools education department,” the report said.

It said the authorities would ensure that children’s right to education guaranteed under Article 25-A of the Constitution was not infringed upon by anyone and their education should not be disturbed due to any reason and under any circumstances. After going through the report, the judge reserved verdict on the petition.

Earlier, Advocate Abdullah Malik appeared on behalf the petitioner and said the private schools had become an industry and they were only interested in filling their pockets making the quality education a luxury.

The lawyer pointed out that the SC in its decision ordered for reduction of fees by 20 percent ceased to be effective, subject to recalculation of fee by using fee prevailing in 2017 as the base fee in accordance with Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) (Amendment) Act, 2017.