KHYBER: Scores of parents have pulled their children out of private schools in Bara tehsil here after getting notices to deposit five months ‘school and promotion’ fee.

The educational institutions had resumed classes on Sept 15 and 23 in line with the government’s announcement after the coronavirus pandemic-induced six months long closure.

Sources in Bara told Dawn that the parents, who were unable to deposit five month fee, got their children enrolled in government schools.

They said parents in Sipah, Malakdinkhel, Qamberkhel, Shalobar and other areas of Bara tehsil were given slips for five months fee along with examination and promotion fee, which ran into thousands of rupees.

Haji Wahid of Yousaf Talab area in Sipah told Dawn that he was asked to immediately deposit Rs25,000 as monthly fee of his four sons for five months along with their fee for promotion to next grades.

He said he couldn’t afford the ‘exorbitant’ amount, so he approached the school administration for concession but his request was declined.

The resident said he had written to the district education officer, assistant commissioner of Bara and deputy commissioner of Khyber district for intervention, but to no avail.

Shamsher Khan of Malakdinkhel area told Dawn that majority of parents were too poor to pay five-six months fee at once. He said most parents sought fee payment in installments but private schools demanded full payment without delay.

It is learnt that a number of students were denied entry to schools over non-payment of fee.

Some parents demonstrated in Shah Kas area of Jamrud area against private schools over ‘excessive’ fee and warned that they would boycott polio vaccination campaign if relief wasn’t provided to them in fee payment.

They said they had to pull children out of private schools and got them enrolled in the nearby government schools.

Taking advantage of the situation, some private schools offered free admission and waiver of previous fee to such students.

When contacted, Private Schools Association, Bara, president Gul Wali said the privately-owned educational institutions would charge students full fee whether they could afford it or not.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2020