ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday upheld its directive to private educational institutions (PEI) ordering them not to receive fee for summer vacations period.
In continuation of hearing of a public petition filed by a citizen Jamshed Khan against PEIs, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said that the schools would be issued contempt of court notices if any of institutes violates the court order by collecting fee for the summer vacations period.
In his remarks, Justice Siddiqui said that to do business via education is akin to exploitation and discrimination. He added that on next hearing, which is fixed for July 11, the court will also review application submitted by some private schools’ teachers who have not been paid their salaries of some months.
While representing the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), advocate Rashid Hanif said that complete implementation of the court order is necessary for public welfare.
On May 18, Justice Siddiqui not only prohibit PEIs from collection of fee, but he also asked private schools to adjust the fee already collected from the students for June and July when the schools would remain closed on account of the vacations.
However, some elite schools through their council Sardar Muhammad Latif challenged the decision in intra-court appeal (ICA) in the same court. The two-member divisional bench comprised on Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the filed appeal on June 6.
Sardar Khosa contended that refraining PEIs from receiving fee for summer vacations was illegal. He requested the court for consideration of detailed petition against Justice Siddiqui verdict (of May 18).
The bench, however, after hearing arguments from councils both parties, PEIs and PEIRA, reserved the decision on maintainability of the (ICA) for an indefinite period of time.
Earlier, the PEIRA also published a public notice in national press informing the parents not to deposit the fee for that period (June and July). The body also circulated a letter among all PEIs asking them for compliance with IHC’s order.
In the letter, PEIRA also said that some schools were violating the IHC’s Justice Siddiqui judgment while receiving fee for summer months. “Some parents lodged complaints with the authority that they have been charged dues for summer vacations despite court order. Hence you (PEIs) are directed that to return back fee to their students which they charged for months of summer vacations in violation of IHC order for restraining from taking fee”, reads the letter.
Also, the Punjab government had earlier this year issued a similar notification barring private educational institutions from collecting fee for summer vacations and also published advertisements in different newspapers advising parents not to deposit fee for the said period.