WHILE the controversy surrounding the resignation of Aitchison College principal continues to be a topic of discussion, I just wish to mention two personal instances to simply show how the teeming ‘commoners’ deal with similar situations in their lives.

My younger sister was studying at a reputed school in Lahore when our father, who was employed in Pakistan Railways, got transferred to Sukkur. My mother preferred to stay back in Lahore so that her daughter’s quality education was not disrupted. She had to endure extreme hardships, living in a small, rented house with minor children and without any means of transport. Her ordeal and sacrifice for daughter’s sake continued for more than a year till my father got himself transferred back to Lahore.

The second instance relates to my son. When he got a job abroad, he paid the designated amount to the prestigious school that his son was attending. This was done to keep his seat vacant for a year. As my son decided to continue working abroad, the amount paid was subsequently forfeited, which was always the understanding with the school.

It makes practical sense for schools to have such a ‘retention’ policy because allowing the tuition fee waiver will only encourage parents in such situations to force the administrations to keep their children’s seat vacant ‘just in case’ the family decided to return.

Parvez Rahim
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2024