THIS is apropos an advertisement ‘Private schools: the untold story’ (Sept 28). The fee increase by elite private schools is not 10 to 13pc as claimed in the advertisement; it is at least 20 to 30pc and that too without any break-up of expenses and parents knowledge.

They have raised a hue and cry over the increase in rent of bungalows converted into schools. Why do they have these ‘bangla schools’ instead of one unified building of their own where they should have schooling from nursery to A levels? If several prestigious private non-profit schools belonging to minorities and missionary schools can have one spacious building, why can’t these ‘elite schools’? The reason is simple: they believe in ‘school branches’ to mint as much money as they can.

These ‘elite schools’ claim that 50pc of fee income is spent on the salaries of teachers and staff. If that is so why are they scared of telling the nation how much they earn and how much do they pay their teachers?

These businessmen boast about having generators, security cameras and computers. This is a one-time investment, but these schools have not only been charging separate fees for ‘utilities and security’, they have also increased the amount.

These schools talk of rise in construction cost. This is ridiculous as most private schools are being run in rented bungalows. When missionary schools can provide quality education for Rs3,000 for Class V why does this private school mafia demand Rs13,000 a month for the same grade?

Jamshaid Ahmad
Karachi

Published in Dawn October 3rd, 2015

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