LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Punjab government to ensure compliance of a judgement by the Supreme Court on private schools fee issue in its letter and spirit.

In a verdict announced on multiple petitions about the fee issue, Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi ordered the provincial secretary for schools education to ensure that students are not removed from schools over non-payment of excessive fee demanded by the private institutions over and above the parameters laid down by the apex court. The judge sought compliance reports from the secretary and chief executive officers of all districts within a fortnight.

On Thursday, the education department had told the court that all chief executive officers (CEOs) of education authorities had been directed to enforce the SC judgment without any deviation, digression or delay.

A report filed by the department said the CEOs had been directed to instruct the private schools to provide their latest fee vouchers to know if the private schools were adhering to the law. It said the authorities would ensure that children’s right to education guaranteed under Article 25-A of the Constitution was not infringed upon by anyone and their education should not be disturbed due to any reason and under any circumstances.

The petitions were filed by the Judicial Activism Penal, Abdullah Malik and others, questioning the failure of the government to implement the apex court decision. They said it was the responsibility of the state to protect fundamental rights of the citizens and education was one of them. They contended that profits accumulated by private institutions were unreasonable and the state had to act as the regulator to protect the right of its citizens.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2019