RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the private educational institutions to submit audit reports of their accounts, besides constituting a committee for determination of reasonable fee structure.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing the suo motu on high fee charged by private schools and colleges. The committee will be headed by federal ombudsman and will comprise schools representative and the secretary Law and Justice Commission.

The Chief Justice said that the private schools are selling education as they charge the fee according to their whims. He said some schools are charging Rs 50,000 while others take Rs 100,000 per year while there is no regulatory body to check them. The school owners tell the parents if they can’t afford their fee then take their children to other schools. “The schools should not charge high fee, which can’t be paid by the parents,” the CJP added.

Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan observed that the questions before the court is not what should be the quantum of monthly fee but it is the quantum of the periodical increase in fee every year.

The Chief Justice said that education is not a commodity but it is knowledge that is imparted to the children. There should be reasonable fee structure, adding if the object of the private schools is to earn profit then they would not impart knowledge.

The Chief Justice inquired from the counsels of the private schools how many children are given education free of cost in those schools. He asked about the tax being paid by the private schools which are earning billions of rupees.

Justice Ijaz said the intent of the court is not to close or nationalize the private schools, but it wants reasonable fee structure. If a school’s total expenditure is Rs 100 but it is earning Rs 500 then this would not be allowed.

The advocate general Sindh proposed that forensic audit should be carried out of the private schools’ accounts. He said that some schools have branches in foreign countries, and questioned whether this is legitimate enterprise.

The Chief Justice said it has been observed that in private schools children are using drugs. He said the school management does not see who supplies drugs to children.

The chairman of private schools informed that they have stopped unethical activities, drugs and Halloween parties in the schools.

The case was adjourned for an indefinite period.