Private schools reject 20pct reduction in fees during lockdown months

KARACHI: Private schools across Karachi and the rest of the country have rejected directives from the government seeking a twenty percent decrease in fees for the month of April and May due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) had directed all private educational institutes and the federal government to reduce fees during the lockdown months. “The fees should be received on monthly-basis and if any challans have been issued without giving exemption then they should be withdrawn,” said a handout by the regulatory body.

The Sindh government has on Tuesday issued a similar movement and announced a twenty percent concession in tuition fees of private schools across the province for the months of April and May.

Sindh Minister for Education Saeed Ghani said that the decision was taken in the wake of ongoing lockdown in the province, adding that strict action will be taken against the private schools over any violations.

According to a notification issued by the provincial government, it is mandatory for all the private schools in Sindh to reduce fees by twenty percent tuition fee for the months of April and May,

Punjab was the first to announce such concession on April 6 when Chief Minister Usman Buzdar announced reduction in school fees amid the coronavirus outbreak.  Buzdar said the parents would be given relief of twenty percent reduction in the school fees of their children and the schools will only charge monthly fees.

Private schools have rejected the directives issued by the provincial governments. Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah has asked the administration of private schools not to disregard the directive regarding the reduction in tuition fees and confront the provincial government.