KARACHI, Sept 22: The owners of private schools have converted their institutes into money-making machines by raising the fees and demanding money from students in the name of donation and on other pretexts.

According to a source, the most pricking aspect of soaring fees is the constantly deteriorating educational standard. They have neither quality teaching faculty nor proper premises.

These institutes extort money from students in the name of computer lab, examination fee, term exam fee or demand contribution for a picnic.

Some schools provide copies and books at much higher prices than the market rate, while others operate expensive cafeteria and shops within their premises. These schools also print writing books by their names.

The owners of such private schools hire inadequately educated girls as teachers understandably against a low remuneration and pay a low salary to the staff.

One cannot think of privileges, like annual leave etc, as it is not accepted by the school managements. On the contrary, salary is deducted on account of absence in many institutions.

The main issue between the management and the staff has been increase in salaries, which is strictly opposed by the owners.

Parents of school-going children are of the view that authorities should take effective action to streamline the operation of such institutions.—APP