PRIVATE schools must know I am a parent and not an ATM. The Constitution of Pakistan has made it mandatory for the government to provide free education to all citizens. However, this clause has never been enforced in letter and in spirit, allowing the private sector to take advantage of the growing gap between private and public schools.

Operating a school has become one of the most profitable businesses in the country. Many of these private schools operate in apartments or in small homes, and are devoid of basic facilities. They then charge between Rs15,000 to Rs25,000 per month, yet they deprive students of drinking water, which kids then have to buy from the school canteen at a price higher than that in the market.

This situation prevails not just in Karachi but in all other Pakistani cities, including Lahore and Islamabad. Additionally, many schools these days require parents to pay in lump sum the fee for an entire quarter (three to four months). In these inflationary days, this makes life extremely difficult for parents, especially those in the salaried class.

I hope the government can work to improve public schools so parents are not left without options when it comes to providing quality education to their children. Most importantly, I hope private schools stop treating parents as clients and start thinking of them as partners in education.

Uzair Jafri
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2019