We have been into a situation regarding the private schools in Punjab since over a month and since I am a member of Private Schools Parents’ Association (Punjab) as well, I felt we need to create awareness on all possible platforms regarding the issue.
Parents of ALL private schools in Pakistan (both elite and low budget) have been facing an issue of unexplained and unannounced quarterly fee hikes since last couple of years coupled with a major decline in quality of education, inexperienced teachers and an administration that usually refuses to meet parents for any complaints. Parents had a paid 18-30%raised fee in the beginning of summer vacation already , so a further increased fee bill for the September-November 2015 quarter proved to be the last straw on the camel ! Parents united and came out to protest in all parts of province (I will particularly talk about Lahore here) which lead to media coverage and highlighting of this issue. Parents were called to meet the Minister of Education and CM Shehbaz Shareef numerous times and this lead to an ordinance released on 19th September 2015. The ordinance has restricted the schools from increase in fees for the academic year, revise the numbers on fee bills to 2014 (parents with 3 kids going to for eg Grammar School saved up to 40000rs per quarter which shows the difference in the dues within a year), show their records of expenditure vs profits and certain other orders that would benefit the parents and the quality of education and has imposed penalties of 20k-2 million rupees on schools for refusing to follow the rules.
Private schools have been refusing to comply and have gone to courts against the government because this has caused a serious ‘blow to their business’. Teachers are being blackmailed by cuts in salaries, holding off increments and parents who raised this issue are being blamed to cause this to teachers ! Children of parents fighting on the forefront are being continuously victimized by the schools meanwhile unfortunately.
Next hearing of the litigation and legal proceedings is on 5th November 2015. Schools have hired none other than ‘her highness Asma Jehangir’ to contest on their behalf because no sane lawyer with an ounce of ethics and morals would have contested this legal suit that was totally against the interest of public of Pakistan. All big names refused the schools to accept this case and rumors say that Asma has charged the schools over 2 crores for her services. Parents have been approaching different lawyers and amazingly most of them are offering their services for free because this is for a noble public cause.
I request all of you to please spread the word to your families here in Pakistan, esp Lahore. We all need parents to show in huge numbers in the High Court on 5th November at 9am in the courts of Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza for the proceedings. This issue, if left unnoticed, will never be highlighted in next 50 years. Last time it was noticed was 1984 (41 years ago) and the public has been exploited in the name of education since then !
If interested in updates, this is the FB link for official PSPA (Punjab)
Any advice, suggestion,help through your contacts (lawyers) will be appreciated. [email protected]
The way to check pvt institute actions are by not using their products.
Here in my part of the world, there are numerous pvt schools. Each has their own (very varied) fee structure and they do reserve the right to raise fees at any time. Those that can't or don't want to pay the fees ... send kids elsewhere. Businesses are smart though, they stop raising fees or keep things in general where they'll have customers.
It's like fashion industry too ... isn't it. You got clothing n makeup in all ranges ... all catering to a particular niche of customers.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
The way to check pvt institute actions are by not using their products.
Here in my part of the world, there are numerous pvt schools. Each has their own (very varied) fee structure and they do reserve the right to raise fees at any time. Those that can't or don't want to pay the fees ... send kids elsewhere. Businesses are smart though, they stop raising fees or keep things in general where they'll have customers.
It's like fashion industry too ... isn't it. You got clothing n makeup in all ranges ... all catering to a particular niche of customers.
Yeah, but do parents in Pakistan have quality alternative schools to enroll their kids in if they decide to withdraw from said private school in protest? Without viable alternatives, Parents are stuck...
The private schools seem to have the market cornered... Free market would only work if there is proper competition. If the govt doesnt regulate them, who will?
The way to check pvt institute actions are by not using their products.
Here in my part of the world, there are numerous pvt schools. Each has their own (very varied) fee structure and they do reserve the right to raise fees at any time. Those that can't or don't want to pay the fees ... send kids elsewhere. Businesses are smart though, they stop raising fees or keep things in general where they'll have customers.
It's like fashion industry too ... isn't it. You got clothing n makeup in all ranges ... all catering to a particular niche of customers.
Yeah, but do parents in Pakistan have quality alternative schools to enroll their kids in if they decide to withdraw from said private school in protest? Without viable alternatives, Parents are stuck...
The private schools seem to have the market cornered... Free market would only work if there is proper competition. If the govt doesnt regulate them, who will?
[/QUOTE]
I really don't know the answer to the first part of your post since I don't live there. If there arnt other viable options then it's not the fault of pvt schools right? the govt should be held accountable for providing adequate public school education. It's the govt failure that allows the pvt schools to thrive and hold parents hostage.
If this is going to the courts then it'll be very interesting to see how they rule but I wouldn't be too suprised if they arnt able to regulate fee structure.
As far as I know (and my knowledge is limited on this) govt regulation of pvt businesses is limited to employment /labor laws, public safety health, privacy, environment and advertising.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
[25A. Right to education.—The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law.]
This is what the constitution says ^
According to this, technically, it is the Govt that should pay the private schools for their expenditure since it is Govt's duty to provide with free education.
The state of Govt schools is pathetic. Education is not their priority since decades and ultimately a common man is exploited by all means.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
[25A. Right to education.—The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law.]
This is what the constitution says ^
According to this, technically, it is the Govt that should pay the private schools for their expenditure since it is Govt's duty to provide with free education....
Wrong. It is government's duty to provide quality public schools. Government should not interfere in pricing by private schools, but possibly their staffing and curriculum policies. Parents should have been preparing about quality of education in public schools long time ago if the constitution has to come into consideration.
The sad thing is that getting your child into a "famous" private school is more of a status symbol for parents than a genuine concern for their child's education. Why is it that only now that they have raised tuition fee that the parents suddenly find quality of education lacking in those schools. These concerns should have been raised with the schools long before they played hard with the tuition fee.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Only One way to answer private school business...
Improve quantity & quality of Govt Schools...
The OP is criticizing Asma Jahangeer, i dont know why, pvt schools have all thr rights to increase their fees at when and where bases...Although they should do it on annual basis and not quarterly..
As far as iam concerned, whenever offered school and hospital "business", i always think..how come i can ask money to educate a child or cure an ill...but thats me
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
I really don't know the answer to the first part of your post since I don't live there. If there arnt other viable options then it's not the fault of pvt schools right? the govt should be held accountable for providing adequate public school education. It's the govt failure that allows the pvt schools to thrive and hold parents hostage.
If this is going to the courts then it'll be very interesting to see how they rule but I wouldn't be too suprised if they arnt able to regulate fee structure.
As far as I know (and my knowledge is limited on this) govt regulation of pvt businesses is limited to employment /labor laws, public safety health, privacy, environment and advertising.
Well I suspect they would need to provide both an alternative and proper regulations. I mean this is a clear example of price gouging. Even if the quality of govt schools is low, that should not be an excuse to allow market player to raise prices without limits. There has to be some degree of govt oversight otherwise there is no protection for consumers.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
[25A. Right to education.—The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law.]
This is what the constitution says ^
According to this, technically, it is the Govt that should pay the private schools for their expenditure since it is Govt's duty to provide with free education.
The state of Govt schools is pathetic. Education is not their priority since decades and ultimately a common man is exploited by all means.
Still it doesnt absolve private groups... Laxity on the part of the govt aside, there is no moral or ethical justification for raising prices beyond a reasonable level. They CAN do it, but they shouldnt be able too is my point. There has to be govt regulation over the market, regardless of whether they offer an alternative or not. Its no different from how they deal with price gouging in other industries.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
My mother told me they've been protested since I was in school and it's been ages since. My parents didn't notice because they just had me and I also got a scholarship in my A levels. They only heard the fee increase being mentioned while waiting for me at the gate. Anyone middle class with more than one child was totally effed. It's also crazy how my university fees were lower than my school ones. Both were private.
Govt. schools are not for people who want a clean and comfortable environment for their kids. People in the middle class have one important thing that keeps them afloat and that's education. Not everyone has the luxury to leave Pakistan en-mass. Making mainstream education a luxury product and mediocre schools with fewer facilities competing with the top tier ones. There needs to be a regulation of how much increase a school can do according to the facilities they offer. The govt. caps the price of vegetables at Sunday markets lol! and if school people are acting like our regular aalo walay then that's how you treat them.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Private schools, by definition, are private. Why should government regulate their pricing structure?
You mean 'maadir pidar' aazad. jo chahain woh karen kyon ke Pakistan un ke baap ki jaagir hay. Just look how much taxes these private owners pay to the government? Notorious Axact International was also private educational institute ran by the ex military officials selling jaali degrees to people all over the world with 'thappa' of John Kerry the Secretary of State. His owner claimed that he would beat Bill Gates in a year or so. :)
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Still it doesnt absolve private groups... Laxity on the part of the govt aside, there is no moral or ethical justification for raising prices beyond a reasonable level. They CAN do it, but they shouldnt be able too is my point. There has to be govt regulation over the market, regardless of whether they offer an alternative or not. Its no different from how they deal with price gouging in other industries.
Sorry, but you cannot regulate price of something that cannot be objectively measured. Which other private industries (other than agriculture where price is regulated to benefit sugar, textile or flour mil owners, or understandably, oil price) face regulation in pricing? Regulate competition, yes of course, but unlike pharmaceuticals (where no one protests massive prices compared to India) you cannot objectivity say how much tuition fee a private school "should" charge.
Government has no business regulating private school fees. If you like to protest, then protest for better quality government run schools.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Some sort of regulation is needed, no where in the world prices are adjusted on quarterly basis. What excuse do they give for these common raise in education costs? Most Pakistanis want good education for their kids, if the government does not check the cost of education while they don't improve the public system the situation will deteriorate.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Government has no business regulating private school fees. If you like to protest, then protest for better quality government run schools.
Agree
And/or
These parents association can form a trust and start their own chain of schools providing quality education and ethics and can compete those schools...in othrr words, would keep check on them..
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Some sort of regulation is needed....
Regulation regarding employment conditions, minimum qualification of teachers or curriculum maybe. The moment you regulate pricing, schools will have little incentive to invest in infrastructure or human resources.
Re: Private Schools Ordinance Insertions 2015 (Punjab) and related issues
Regulation regarding employment conditions, minimum qualification of teachers or curriculum maybe. The moment you regulate pricing, schools will have little incentive to invest in infrastructure or human resources.
The way I see it private schools have become mafias like others around, with no effective regulatory bodies around they can raise their costs with immunity and there's no where the parents can go to for redressal. During the year the salaries increase once (at the most 10 %), its impossible for the parents to beat the inflationary pressures (throughout the year) plus quarterly rises in education costs At the same time. If the situation is not improved I believe middle class would have no option other than to send their kids to public schools.