ISLAMABAD: The Counsel of private schools has completed his arguments in a case pertaining to school fees hike while Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that the increase in school fees can be permitted if schools were in deficit and increase in fees inappropriate if schools were earning profits.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa heard the petition. Justice Aijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arab were the other two honorable judges of the bench.
At the outset of the hearing, the top judge remarked that in high court’s verdict meanings were inferred while they were not law adding that the court has to look up things on the basis of law, not on recommendations.
In his remarks, Justice Aijaz Ul Ahsan said that five percent increase in school fees annually law is not applicable where fees are less than 4000 while the fees cannot be charged more than five percent above 4000 limits.
During the hearing, Chief Justice remarked that it is the review petition if looking up 20 percent increase is not matter of the court how it can look up for an eight percent increase adding that the court will decide the school fees matter as per article 18 and the decision in this regard will also affect other industries, trade, professions and other institutions.
The CJ said that the court had directed to slash school fees up to a 20 percent but private schools said that what is matter of courts directing in this regard adding that under article 25 A, providing education is the duty of the state while the state promoting the private schools outsourced the education while the private schools are providing education along with state and they have to abide the regulations set by the government after assuming the responsibility.
The consul of the private schools, Shahzad Ellahi said that Article 25 talks of education not of cheap education.
Justice Aijaz Ul Ahsan said that a private school has per annum profit of Rs 353 million and rate of increase of profit of private school is of 36 percent per annum and he asked that did any business has such profit margin besides drugs business.
The Chief Justice said that the court did not say that the private schools did not earn profit while they should gratitude God over their profit as well and there should be some limit on profit and if they did not like regulations then they should not get license of schools while private schools owners wanted to earn profit overnight.
The CJ said that parents are worry over high fees and we all are part of the society and they do the double jobs to submit burden of school fees.
The CJ regarding his school days said that “I studied in a school in Dera Ghazi Khan charging Rs. 1. 50 monthly and paid Rs 144 per annum.”
“We (students) of that era never felt that we studied from the government schools.” The CJ informed adding that “I am in worry for poor children where and how they will get an education.”
The court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.
