Charging fee in advance: action against private schools ordered

The Punjab government had asked all the executive district officers (Education) in writing, to take action against private schools for charging the fees in advance and issued written instructions to them on June 21.
The education department had directed all EDOs, the physical instructions (elementary education) director and DPIs (secondary education) to cancel these schools' registrations under the Private Institutions Promotion Regulations Rules Ordinance 1984.
"The private schools were violating Section 9 of the Private Educational Institutions Ordinance 1984. The officials concerned have been directed to take action against the administration of such schools." EDO Education Multan said no strategy had been evolved to take action against the private schools for violating the education department's order.
"It has not been decided that how the government will take action against these schools." Another official said, "We are waiting for the education department's letter for this purpose." He said the education department was well informed that it would be a very difficult task to receive dues from private schools, as the private schools' unions were active against the government's decision.
Strongly reacting on these instructions, private schools have threatened to withdraw their affiliation with education boards in case of action against them for charging 3-month summer-vacation tuition fee in advance.
The All Pakistan Private Schools Welfare Association (APPSWA) spokesman said the education department's directive was unjust. He said all private schools had been running their administrative activities like maintenance, checking answer sheets and home works during summer vacation.
He said, "About 95 percent private schools are run in rented buildings and meet their expenses out of these fees. He said out of 40 percent literacy rate in the Punjab, the private schools had a contribution of 50 percent. He said the government had claimed to introduce the Parha Likha Punjab programme and on one side was claiming that the education sector was progressing. On the other side, he said, the government was deteriorating the education sector. He said the government should withdraw its decision so that the private schools could play their role in educating the people.