September 22, 2006	Friday	Sha'aban 28, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 21: The president has promulgated an ordinance to set up a regulatory authority for private educational institutions offering education up to higher secondary or intermediate level within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

It will be known as Islamabad Capital Territory Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Promotion) Regulatory Authority. The authority will be responsible for registration, regulation and promotion of the privately-managed educational institutions within the ICT.

Though the federal education minister had talked about setting up the authority through an act of parliament, sources in his ministry told Dawn that the government thought a parliamentary debate would inordinately delay the legislation.

According to the text of the ordinance, the regulatory authority will see to it that the services and quality of education being provided by a certain institution are commensurate with the fee being charged by it.

“From this day onward, no private school or college will be set up without regulatory authority’s consent,” the ordinance said, giving existing private institutions 90 days to get themselves registered with the authority.

The authority will ensure that these institutions follow a uniform policy regarding curricula, academic session, qualification of teaching staff and terms of their services, curricular and extra-curricular activities, uniformity of academic standards and provision of professional guidance.

The authority will also take measures to promote physical and moral well-being of students, including sports facilities.

The regulatory authority will be headed by a chairperson who will be its chief executive, with two members whose qualification and experience will be prescribed. It will be a self financing body.

The authority will have the power to withdraw registration of an institution if it is satisfied, after inspection, that the management and instructions in the institution are not of the prescribed standard and are in violation of the provisions of the ordinance.

Under the ordinance, each year, institutions will furnish a report to the government on their annual audit accounts, report on their activity during the preceding year and information relating to its activities as may be required.

So far private schools and colleges in the ICT had been working without any government control, and the freedom gave rise to mushroom growth of private institutions during the past 10 years.

Parents had frequently complained to the education ministry about the excessive fees charged by the private schools.