ISLAMABAD: Following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood on Friday said strict action would be taken against private schools in case they violate apex court’s orders.

Speaking to mediapersons outside the Parliament House, the minister directed all private schools to follow SC’s ruling or else face action.

According to the detailed judgement of the Supreme Court issued on Friday, private schools will charge a monthly fee in accordance with the fees of January 2017. Justice Ijazul Ahsan, who authored the judgement, also expressed his concerns over reports that schools had been charging excessive fees since 2017.

The education minister said in accordance with the apex court’s directive, none of private schools could increase the monthly tution fee more than 5pc.

Mr Mehmood said parents had complained that the schools had charged high monthly fees at the beginning of this academic session, and directed the institutions to hold a meeting with the protesting parents to remove their grievances.

The minister said provincial governments were also asked to take action against schools that were charging extra tuition fee, adding that there were also reports that private institutions were charging fees under various heads, and this method was also not allowed.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2019