'A 20% reduction in fees for Private school students for the months of April and May 2020 is a forceful demand from the government. We're not going to accept it. Instead of striking us, private schools should be given an "educational relief package". As soon as we get any notification from the government regarding the fee reduction, we'll knock at court to plea our case,' Head of Private school association Kashif Mirza made it clear to masses, according to media reports. This has set parents confuse once again as another tug of war is approaching here.
Private schools and governments on the row are not new for anyone in Pakistan. Earlier private schools have seen the courts too when the government tried to check and balance their income and profit columns after sky-high constant fees raise. The government was successful to impose its writ in a way that big private schools halted to some extent while blindly increasing per year fees.
Pakistan is a country with a poor public education system. Government/public schools stand far low in providing quality education to masses. Parents are constrained to admit their children in private schools and to give high charges. In many countries, education is free whether it's public or private.
By the time, lockdown due to coronavirus has shut all business and financial activities and it has affected the budgets of every poor and rich. The private school also are facing the same situation where parents are reluctant to submit any fees due to empty pockets but they don't want to let their business hit.
According to media reports, On the other side, private schools stated that they're asked to give full salary to teaching and non-teaching staff. They're also directed not to expel any staff during the corona lockdown break. Things are going pretty worst on both sides.
Above all, the Private school association has demanded an "educational relief package" from the government for private schools.
In many countries, the government has put a smart amount in the corona relief package to cater to the educational needs of parents and schools. It's government responsibility now, who should come in front and give subsidy to private schools. The government should pay half of the tuition fees to relieve the parents. The government should also exempt taxes from private schools while corona lockdown.
In an e-mail and twitter post, Kashif Mirza briefly explained his point that only 10% of private schools charge higher fees whereas 90% of private schools charge between Rs 1000 to Rs 4000. These 90% private schools are providing employment to masses of every level asides assuring the quality education, 20% fees reduction will hit their school businesses and they'll be unable to pay full to their staff.
Apparently, private schools are not going to show any flexibility regarding 20% fee reduction for April and May. Many private schools already have delivered fee vouchers to their students with full fees and rest the parents in confusion again.
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