ISLAMABAD: In response to high private school fees, the Senate Implementation Committee on Thursday recommended that a national policy be made to determine fees and look into education quality issues.

The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Dilawar Khan and discussed the charging of holiday fees by private educational institutions.

The issue was raised by Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar during a Senate session on Aug 26, and the matter was referred to this committee.

Senator Khan said that the Covid-19 pandemic had affected people’s finances and the government had directed private schools to reduce fees, but schools did not do so.

He said that parents have complained about this issue, and the committee would play a role if legislation is needed to strengthen the Private Educational Institution Regulatory Authority (Peira).

Peira Chairperson Zia Batool said the federal government had announced a 20pc reduction in fees during the pandemic, and action has been taken against schools defying the order.

She told the senators that the Supreme Court froze private school fees at the rates prevailing in January 2017 until Peira determines new fees.

She said the SC order was not directly applicable to Islamabad, and when Peira tried to implement it private schools filed a case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

She said the high court directed that Peira could take guidance from the SC order and, as the regulator, could determine fees charged by private schools.

She said Peira then began the process of collecting data on schools to determine fees, but that process has slowed down because of the pandemic.

Sources in Peira said the authority notified an interim policy on Sept 1 under which schools have been directed to charge fees in accordance with a base fee from 2017, with 50pc summer vacation fees and a 5pc annual increase.

Peira has directed the schools to follow this interim policy until it finalises a fee determination policy.

Parents said that instead of leaving the matter up to schools to charge fees in accordance with 2017 rates, Peira should have made fees charged by schools in 2017 public so that parents could also calculate the fees.

During the Senate committee meeting, Senator Sardar Mohammad Shafiq Tareen said the education sector has been made a revenue generating factory by some private schools.

Senator Khan said that a national policy should be made to implement the SC’s orders, improve the quality of education in private schools and introduce new legislation if needed.

He said input will be taken from federal and provincial ministers, the law ministry and standing committee members at the next meeting to recommend a national policy.

When contacted, Private Schools Association spokesperson Abdul Waheed Khan said they have challenged Peira’s interim policy in the IHC and the court will hear the case on Oct 14.

He said private schools will not implement the Sept 1 Peira letter, adding that Peira should determine fees after formulating new rules.

He said the authority’s 2016 rules have already been struck down by the court and it should now make new rules with consent from private schools before determining fees.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2020