RECENTLY, I received a text message from my children’s school van driver, asking me to give him the fee for May and June. I wonder under which law they charge this fee. Is this demand ethical and legal? Isn’t it the duty of the school to stop such activity?

Last year, when the van driver asked for the summer vacation fee in April, I told him not to pick my children and that I would transport them myself. I did that for more than a month until the schools were closed for summer vacations, incurring much more then what I may have to pay to the van driver. But I made my point clear — that I was not going to pay this unlawful charge.

My stand here is: if schools charge for summer vacation, they do so as they have to pay rent, bills and staff salaries, although they still can forego at least a month’s fee, as they earn a lot during the year.

As for van drivers, they do not keep their vehicles idle for two months; they engage in other business activities and earn money from other sources. So they should not charge this fee for summer vacation.

Is there any authority which can intervene and give relief to parents?

Nisar Ahmed Khan
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2019