IHC dismisses petition challenging 20% cut in school fee

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed a petition filed by the Private Schools Association challenging a notification regarding a 20 per cent cut in monthly tuition fee.

A single bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah dismissed the petition that assailed the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority’s (PEIRA) May 3 notification asking private schools of Islamabad to reduce fee by 20pc.

The chief justice ruled that this court cannot interfere with the policy decision announced via the impugned notification.

READ: Fed govt notifies 20pc fee reduction for education institutes in Islamabad

“The impugned policy decision is, therefore, not justiciable nor this Court is inclined to exercise its extraordinary discretionary jurisdiction under Article 199 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 to interfere therewith. The petition is, therefore, accordingly dismissed,” the seven-page verdict issued by the court read.

On May 3, the federal government notified a 20 per cent fee concession for Islamabad education institutes with effect from April 1.

Taking to Twitter, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood shared a notification regarding the fee cut and said: “In response to the demand for fee waiver during school closure, it has been decided to give 20% reduction in fee starting from April till the schools reopening. This is applicable to all schools in Islamabad charging over Rs 8000 per month fee.”