Private Schools To Face Action On Violation Of SC Order Of Reducing 20 Percent Fee: PEIRA

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2019 ) :Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) will take action against private schools functioning in the Federal capital in case of violation of Supreme Court order with regard to reducing monthly tuition fee by 20 percent.

The authority has power to impose fine of Rs 5000 per day besides withdrawal of school registration and filing contempt petition against private schools if they fail to comply the court order, Chairman PEIRA Imtiaz Ali Qureshi said on Wednesday.

Talking to APP, he said that all private schools operating in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and offering education up to Intermediate or A-level or equivalent and charging accumulative monthly tuition fee beyond Rs 5000 to reduce their fees by 20 percent.

In pursuance of Court order, Chairman PEIRA said that annual increase in the fee will strictly be in the range of 5 to 8 percent in the manner that the schools may increase their school fee by 5 percent for the next academic year 2019-20.

Whereas, he said, in case of any increase of school fees between the ranges of 6 to 8 percent, the schools will be required to seek the permission of PEIRA which will determine the same accordingly in line with the provision of ICT PEIRA Registration and Regulation.� He said that a public order has been published in national daily to ask the private schools for implementation of orders of Supreme Court and to inform the parents about such orders. He added the authority will ensure implementation of court order in true letter and spirit.

He said that the owners of all major private school chains have submitted undertaking on judicial stamp paper except to comply with the court order.

He said that around 1500 registered private schools have been operating in the federal capital while 400 schools are among those which are charging accumulative monthly tuition fee beyond Rs 5000.

Imtiaz Qureshi said "Legal action will be taken against those schools which will fail to fulfill their assurance on orders of the Supreme Court." He said that all those private schools which have failed to register themselves with the authority so far, have been finally reminded to apply for registration, separately for each branch and campus till December 31, 2019, failing which Rs 5000 per day fine will be imposed for illegal operation.

He said that under court order, no school will under any circumstances be closed nor any student be expelled from such schools as well as no student will be placed under any disadvantageous position in term of fee he or she was paying before the court order. Otherwise the respective management will be held personally liable for disobeying and disregarding the order of the Supreme Court, he added.

Meanwhile citizens of federal capital have asked the PEIRA to ensure proper implementation of Supreme Court's (SC) order for private schools to reduce their fees by 20 percent.

According to them, the private schools' administrations have also ensure to adjust or refund summer vacations fees, which have received by them from their students by February 12, 2019 under Supreme Court Order.