PRIVATE schools realise that due to the subpar quality of state schools, families will do all they can to ensure their wards attend private institutions. This has resulted in the total commercialisation of education, with private schools burdening parents with unreasonable costs. Taking note of parents’ complaints, the Competition Commission of Pakistan has issued notices to 17 private school systems to inquire into alleged non-transparent selling practices, such as forcing parents to purchase mandatory branded school books, stationery and uniforms. Parents had also complained of arbitrary price hikes. Many schools disallow the purchase of cheaper generic notebooks. In August, the Senate Standing Committee on Education had also taken note of complaints that many private schools were hiking annual fees beyond the legal limit. As per the law, schools can only increase fees by 5pc every year. When asked about the CCP’s concerns, a representative of a private schools’ association observed that the “topic needs some clarity”.

It is a fact that if it were not for private schools, Pakistan’s education situation would be even more dire. As per official figures from 2021-22, private institutions educate 25.5m children, which is over 46pc of total enrolled students. The figures have likely increased. This makes students, in the words of the CCP, “captive consumers”; private schools know that in order to give their children a better future, parents will enrol their kids with them. While it is true that many of these school systems are not charity institutions, and need to cover their costs, economic realities must be kept in mind. Fees rise every year, but family budgets are stagnant or rapidly shrinking. Therefore, private schools must not force parents to purchase expensive supplies from exclusive distributors, and must also reconsider arbitrary fee hikes. The long-term solution is a quality public sector education system. But until that dream is realised, private schools must not burden parents with exorbitant costs.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2025