ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved order on maintainability of the petition filed by the Private Schools Association against 20pc cut in the tuition fee of private educational institutions.

Private Educational Institution Regulatory Authority (Piera) has issued the direction for reducing the tuition fee. Piera however exempted those schools where the fee is less than Rs8,000 per month.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition. Counsel for the private schools Shireen Imran argued before the court that the private educational institutions have three major objections on Piera’s notification.

She said that due to Covid-19 schools are imparting education through online classes, but regularly paying rent for their respective buildings. Teachers are rendering their services and the schools incurring the expenses as per usual routine. The counsel said that as many as 33,000 students are working in the private schools.

Justice Minallah inquired whether the schools are not earning any profit.

She replied that Piera did not hear the private schools – the key stakeholders.

She argued that the matter related to fee structure of the private schools is sub judice before the IHC.

Justice Minallah remarked that Piera has taken the decision in extraordinary circumstances. He then reserved order on the maintainability of the petition.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2021