Private schools snub PEIRA instructions, demand advance fee

ISLAMABAD: The parents of the Federal Capital have complained against the callous approach of private school administrations demanding 2-3 months’ advance fee even in the lockdown situation, saying “Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) has become ineffective and now we are expecting intervention of the country’s chief executive.”

“Since the government is compensating every sector and section of the country in the pandemic period, the parents are also no exception to this suffering demanding waiver of March, April and May fees and barring the schools to seek advance payment,” reads an appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan circulated by a parents association on the social media.

A father of a grade 9 child associated with an elite school system, requesting not to be named, said he had received a notice for payment of three months advance fee, which was a clear cut violation of the instructions of Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) and against social norms in the hour of crisis in which even human mobility was restricted.

“The Supreme Court’s verdict over the fee issue is even ridiculed by the school mafia while PEIRA also seems nowhere. We are well aware of the teachers’ problems who are paid salaries but demanding two to three months’ advance fee has no moral or legal justification” Rehan, father of grade 2 children having education at a reputed school system .said. “Since the schools are closed we are issued instructions and vouchers on Facebook accounts to deposit two months’ fee in advance,” he added.