Private schools challenge govt

LAHORE
In the wake of growing public outcry and government’s willingness to regulate affairs of private education institutes, especially in Punjab, the private schools on Monday came hard on the government slamming it for, what they termed, “almost destroyed” public education system.
Through a joint advertisement, the private schools also challenged all and sundry including media to enter into an intelligent public discourse in order to “save” the private schools from such “destruction”. The bureaucracy was in particular targeted by private schools and one of the recommendations forwarded to the government is that bureaucrats of “all levels” and government employees “should be required or at least encouraged to send their children to government schools”. This proposed move has been termed as “the most effective” way of uplifting government schooling with the ultimate goal of saving people from expensive private education!
The private schools also justified increase in the fees and associated the same with increase in costs of construction, rents, utility bills and security and different kinds of taxes. One wonders if most of the private schools make security arrangements and bear fuel charges for generator etc out of their own income. Everyone knows the burden is always shifted towards parents of the students. It is pertinent to mention here that through peaceful demonstrations in different parts of the country parents of students attracted government’s attention, at least in Punjab, to think of regulating private sector institutes.
The Punjab government taking stock of the situation immediately amended Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance 1984 on September 19, 2015, introducing severe punishments for private institutes for violating the law. Interesting so far this move of the Punjab government is an eyewash since rules and regulations to implement this Ordinance have yet to be framed. The rules for 1984 ordinance are still awaited and sources privy to the developments confirmed that no progress on framing of rules was in sight this time too. Nonetheless this “tactical” move by the Punjab government has “forced” private schools to form a joint platform and “show” its strength and hit the government where it is weak the most, public schools.
One wonders if the government has the courage or willingness to respond to the challenges highlighted by the private sector. The best way could only be framing rules and regulations at the earliest so that the law could be implemented in true spirit. Of course, the amendments introduced by the Punjab government this time reflect the public sentiments; otherwise, the move couldn’t have won public praise.
Similarly a few things need to be clarified vis-à-vis the role of media as mentioned by the private schools in the advertisement. “Were the media to focus on the lift of government schools, the government would not be able to escape its responsibility and shift the blame and public wrath to private schools” goes an “innocent” recommendation by private schools. The fact is over the years the media’s focus has been public schooling, always reminding the government of its constitutional responsibilities. When a news report highlights missing facilities in a public school, falling education standards or drop-out of students media tries to make the government realise its responsibilities. Nonetheless the private sector, which witnessed mushroom growth, remained neglected for one reason or the other by most of the media organisations over all these years. Undoubtedly, over the years owing to the government’s neglect, intentional or unintentional, the private sector in education has become so strong in Pakistan that it now started openly challenging the government and it can actually because private schools cater to 40 percent of children in Pakistan. Over the years, the provincial governments in Pakistan have been recognising and appreciating the support extended by private schools in the field of education. However, it would have been perfect had the governments really worked to regulate affairs of private education institutes. No doubt, private and quality education is not cheap anywhere in the world. But the fact should also be realised that private sector does not work without any rules and regulations anywhere in the world!