Start another business if schools run into losses, says CJ

[Reddington]

Start another business if schools run into losses, says CJ


ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa on Tuesday observed that owners of private schools should switch over to another business if they are not sound in the existing one. Heading a three-member bench of the apex court hearing the case of private schools fees, the Chief Justice observed that state is responsible for providing quality education to children as per the constitution.

The Chief Justice however said that it is also the job of the state to regulate private educational institutions. He said that the management of private schools needs to wait for three years if they want reasonable increase in fees adding that if they want an increase of more than five percent in fees every year then they should surrender their licence.

The Chief Justice said that if owners of private schools are not satisfied with their income then they should adopt another business. He noted that apart from charging fees, the owners make a huge profit also while providing books and uniforms to the students. “The profits of these schools are in billions of rupees and their losses are only in profit,” the CJ said. Justice Ijazul Ahsen, another member of the bench, observed that private school owners have also established now colleges and universities.

Makhdom Ali Khan, counsel for a private school, submitted that tuition centers are making huge money while owners of private schools can’t afford salaries of teachers. “If you say that you are facing losses then it does not mean that your demand for an increase in fees should be accepted,” Justice Faisal Arab observed. He further observed that private schools increase fees because of decline in new admissions.

Makhdom Ali Khan said that increase in fees is made after judging affording capacity of parents. During the hearing, parents of children submitted before the court that owners of private schools are very powerful and not implementing the orders of the court in letter and spirit.

They contended that private schools are harassing their children. The Chief Justice said that they are examining the whole issue. Justice Ijazul Ahsen said that the court is for everyone adding that they will decide the matter after hearing reservations of all the parties. Later, the court adjourned the hearing for today (Wednesday).

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/468610-start-another-business-if-schools-run-into-losses-says-cj

 

[war&peace]

Education is the best & most profitable business in Pakistan. It generates more profit for the owners than smuggling. All you need is rent a house, employ some young girls at very low salaries as teachers and then charge the parents of students hefty fees. Also in addition to fee, make it mandatory to buy a uniform, stationery, textbooks and school bags obviously these can be purchased only from the school's outlet, sell lunch food, and plethora of extra fees, fines and surcharges like school day, tableau day, this day, that day, so the parents end up paying a large chunk of their monthly income to the school for a very low quality education from very low quality school and teachers ..but it has to be English medium..and a fancy building

 

[Dubious]

Education is the best & most profitable business in Pakistan. It generates more profit for the owners than smuggling. All you need is rent a house, employ some young girls at very low salaries as teachers and then charge the parents of students hefty fees. Also in addition to fee, make it mandatory to buy a uniform and obviously it can be purchased only from the school's outlet, sell lunch food, and plethora of extra fees, fines and surcharges like school day, tableau day, this day, that day, so the parents end up paying a large chunk of their monthly income to the school for a very low quality education from very low quality school and teachers ..but it has to be English medium..and a fancy building

yup it is a business like in UK!

 

[Crusher]

The education must always be a state responsibility, it should never ever be left to the hands of businessmen. This is one field where no compromise should be made. ZA Bhutto rightly nationalized the private schools in 70s and made them accessible to all the children irrespective of the economic status of their parents. In Germany also they have the same system, all education institutes from kindergarten to universities are state owned and tuition fees is zero for all students, they only have to pay service charges for every semester.

 

[war&peace]

yup it is a business like in UK!

Is it so in UK? really I don't think so

 

[Dubious]

Is it so in UK? really I don't think so

Many private/ elite schools have a similar model!

 

[Crusher]

Is it so in UK? really I don't think so

It is indeed a business in UK, state funding was cut in Theatcher's time to educational institutions and students were required to pay heavy fees for education. But in mainland europe like Germany, France, netherlands etc. the education is considered a core responsibility of the state.

 

[war&peace]

The education must always be a state responsibility, it should never ever be left to the hands of businessmen. This is one field where no compromise should be made. ZA Bhutto rightly nationalized the private schools in 70s because of the same issues treating education as a business instead of a service to the nation.

In Sweden there are both types of schools: Govt & private and you can send your kids to either but you don't have to pay. The govt pays both the public and private schools and keeps an eye on the standard.

 

[Crusher]

In Sweden there are both types of schools: Govt & private and you can send your kids to either but you don't have to pay. The govt pays both the public and private schools and keeps an eye on the standard.

But in UK, you have to pay heavy fees, for example a non-UK national may have to pay 20000 pounds per year as fees for a master degree in a university, a UK national is subsidized to pay only 5000 pounds but 5000 pounds is still a lot of money and many students belonging to economically poor families probably rely on loans.

 

[war&peace]

But in UK, you have to pay heavy fees, for example a non-UK national may have to pay 20000 pounds per year as fees for a master degree in a university, a UK national is subsidized to pay only 5000 pounds but 5000 pounds is still a lot of money and many students belonging to economically poor families probably rely on loans.

But what about schools grade 1-12 in UK?

 

[Crusher]

But what about schools grade 1-12 in UK?

That I don't know because I don't live there probably the pakistanis living in UK know better about it. But for universities I know because when I was deciding to do a master in UK, I used to order prospects of many universites around early 2000s and it was always mentioned in the fees section of the prospectus that a non-UK or non-EU student will pay like 15000 pounds per year whereas the a UK national or an EU national will pay only 4000 pounds.

 

[war&peace]

That I don't know because I don't live there probably the pakistanis living in UK know better about it. But for universities I know because when I was deciding to do a master in UK, I used to order prospects of many universites around early 2000s and it was always mentioned in the fees section of the prospectus that a non-UK or non-EU student will pay like 15000 pounds per year whereas the a UK national or an EU national will pay only 4000 pounds.

University education is not free in Sweden for non-EU students either and they pay more than in UK

 

[Crusher]

University education is not free in Sweden for non-EU students either and they pay more than in UK

May be now but I remember around early 2000s it was free for non-EU students also, some of my class mates from pakistan went there to do a masters degree (english instructed) and they payed only nominal service fees during every semester which was like in few hundred euros.

 

[war&peace]

May be now but I remember around early 2000s it was free for non-EU students also, some of my class mates from pakistan went there to do a masters degree (english instructed) and they payed only nominal service fees during every semester which was like in few hundred euros.

I think since 2011.

 

[Crusher]

I think since 2011.

No even at that time also MBA or other finance management degrees had a hefty amount of fees for non-EU students but engineering or science degrees didn't have fees for non-EU students at that time.