Private schools not allowed to charge parents for development works, remarks CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Monday remarked that hike in private schools fee could only be made over ‘solid reasons’, ARY News reported.

He was conducting proceedings of the case related to fee hike by private schools of late.

The lawyer representing affected parents continued arguments in the case. He said: “The Sindh High Court has ordered five percent increase in fee annually, while in another decision, the court ordered approval of a regulatory authority for fee hike as mandatory.”

The top court said the schools’ administration must also raise salaries of teachers if they increase fee.

Justice Faisal Arab remarked that parents had a choice in picking private schools as there were alma maters whose fee varies between Rs 10,000 and Rs 60,000.

Read: Private schools challenge SC verdict on fee deduction

He said it would be commendable if fee charged by doctors were also regulated. He said many doctors charge different fee at their respective clinics. Some doctors charge Rs 5,000 or some even Rs 10,000 on per visit of a patient.

Regarding the fee hike by schools, he stated that it was the government’s responsibility to provide education, but the state is not fulfilling its role in this regard.

He underlined that every school get their fee structure approved from relevant authority at the time of registering their school.

Chief justice remarked that increase in fee could only be made over ‘solid reasons’. He said schools were not allowed to charge parents for development works carried out in their buildings.

The court observed that it seemed parents were only objecting to tuition fee charged by schools.

Chief justice said parents go for private schools for their children because of state’s failure in providing education to children.

He said, however, regulatory authorities couldn’t stop schools from their operations. The CJP said different airlines also have varying charges for the same routes. It might also happen that the case of airlines charges is also brought to the court, he added.