The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Tuesday expressed strong concerns over alleged unjustified fee increases by private school, calling for stricter scrutiny and greater transparency by the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira). The committee, chaired by Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, emphasised that fee hikes must be linked to genuine improvements in education quality rather than placing undue financial burden on parents.
Read More: NA panel raps PTV Sports management over absence
Members highlighted that private schools are evaluated based on seven key indicators, including teaching quality, classroom environment, infrastructure, transparency, administrative capacity, cleanliness, and safety. Any increase in fees, they stressed, should reflect measurable improvements in these areas.
The committee also directed that all employees in government-funded or NGO-operated schools must be paid strictly in accordance with minimum wage laws. Officials noted that Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with NGOs had been vetted by the law ministry to ensure compliance with wage regulations.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training met under the Convenorship of Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, MNA at Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Islamabad today.
The committee criticized the Private Educational Institutions… https://t.co/oCISJLQSRD pic.twitter.com/pWdhI95ATz
— Committees of NA (@NA_Committees) January 6, 2026
Further, the panel urged that all buildings currently under the Directorate General of Special Education (DGSE) should be formally handed over to DGSE to improve services for children with special needs. These facilities, it was emphasised, must be used solely for education, rehabilitation, and welfare purposes. The committee noted that children with special needs are also being provided skill training through collaborations with NAVTTC to support income generation.
Read More: NA panel declares CDA development charges unjustified
The committee was briefed on broader child welfare initiatives, including free education and transport, school-based meal programmes, and strengthened immunisation and deworming efforts. Interventions have also been introduced to support children’s mental and emotional well-being within the education system, in line with Pakistan’s commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
The meeting was attended by MNAs Anjum Aqeel Khan, Syeda Amnah Batool, Zeb Jaffar, Farah Naz Akbar, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Abdul Aleem Khan, and other officials.