LAHORE: While Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has asked the private educational institutions not to increase fees ‘unjustifiably’, Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood on Saturday could neither convince the private schools to withdraw recent increase in fee nor the parents to stop their weekly protest.

In a meeting with the representatives of different private schools associations and parents here at his office, Mr Mashhood assured the parents that he would look into the matter.

He also asked the private schools associations to review their fee structure.

The parents, however, refused to suspend the protest till the withdrawal of fee increase. The parents have been holding a weekly protest against the private schools for ‘unjustifiable’ increase in fee.

They have announced a protest on Monday (Sept 14) at Liberty Chowk.

The minister, however, constituted a committee to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that private educational institutions will not be allowed to increase fees ‘unnecessarily.’

“Private schools and colleges will not be granted permission to take decision about fees on their own. Action will be taken against private institutions under the rules and regulations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2015

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