KARACHI, Feb 1: Parents have suggested that the government should set up a regulatory body to check unilateral and uncalled for fee hikes by private schools in the city.

They expressed the view that private schools had been fleecing students for a long time, which could not be controlled even after the promulgation of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Control) Ordinance 2001.

The ordinance did not address the issues of arbitrary increase in fees, the prevailing overall academic environment and the standard of education as well as grooming of students in private educational institutions.

While the new academic session in schools is to begin in a couple of months, parents feared that private school managements would go for another fee hike as the tools available under the law did not help resist them.

The last ordinance pertaining to private educational institutions promulgated in 2001 does not intervene in the fee structure of an institution and schools are in a position to continue with their own schedule of fees at the beginning of every academic year. There is no mention of any committee or authority to question the business of private schools.

Like in the past, the educational authorities are unable to keep tabs on the affairs of private schools and they would pretend to wait for any representation on behalf of the students or their parents and teachers, etc., the parents maintained.

The education officers have failed to keep an eye on the establishment and functioning of the private schools. Parents do not dare complain about the schools, fearing victimization.

Sources in the educational circle said that no statutory provisions were available to penalize the erring schools. There is a need for framing new rules for those who run a school in contravention of the 2001 ordinance, it was added.

Parents stressed the need for setting up of an independent regulatory body which should solely deal with cases of fee hikes. The body should hear parents and other concerned before giving an approval for any fee increase.

They were of the view that activation of the parent-teacher association in private schools could play a meaningful role in improving the overall attitude of private school managements towards students and parents, particularly when it comes to fee structure and teaching style.

“If the PTAs are allowed to run effectively and independently, it should be made mandatory for schools managements to place their proposals on fee increase first to the association. If the PTA is satisfied, it should recommend the fee hike case to the proposed regulatory body for consideration,” parents and senior academics observed.

Schools in no case should be allowed to raise additional funds from students in the name of development or other activities, they said and urged the Sindh governor and chief minister to intervene and save students and their parents from further exploitation by private schools.