Private schools’ future endangered

Pakistan News & Features Services

There’s an agonizing war of words, and even a legal battle, taking place in Karachi, and a few other cities, between the owners of private schools, the concerned government departments and the families of students as all the educational institutions remain closed due to coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The blame game hasn’t helped the cause of education. In fact the ongoing crisis has endangered the future of private schools. All the stakeholders need to find an amicable solution in order to prevent a catastrophe which will not be in the interest of the society. 

Pressurizing the private schools, whose majority operates with limited resources, may only result in pushing them to the wall and creating a situation where they will be left with no other option than to quit. A large number of teachers, educationists and non-skilled workers will become jobless in that scenario. 

Can an under-developing country like Pakistan afford to return to the dark ages at a time when other countries are devoting their energies and resources to lift education standards to meet the future challenges? 

Will Pakistan like more of its children to be deprived of quality education? Isn’t it the responsibility of the government to facilitate between parents and schools owners to resolve the misunderstanding and misconception instead of creating new problems by means of arbitrary decisions? 

It’s well known fact that the majority of private schools in Karachi have been charging monthly fees between Rs 500 to Rs 2,000. 

Although the standard of education in these schools is much better than those in the government schools and at par with the majority of the fancied private schools but the families of higher middle class are not fond of choosing such a school for their children and they only remain the preferred destination for families having modest means. These are also the schools which allow fee discounts to students. 

The only source of income for such schools is the collection of fees from the students as their owners are neither landlords nor billionaires with other business interests. They are mostly housed on rented premises and their budgets are tight. They have to pay the utility bills and taxes almost every month. 

Sadly these schools are most regularly targeted for undue criticism despite enduring crunch financial situations. Their owners are often accused of being a mafia which is far from reality. 

During the ongoing lockdown, only the fans and lights at such schools are closed which doesn’t have significant impact on electricity bills. That’s a marginal saving when the schools are closed on the basis of which they cannot be abused for profiteering.

The parents or the families have to realize that such schools are saving marginally and suffering phenomenally because their sole source of income has been blocked during these months. Therefore there’s absolutely no sense in refusing or delaying to pay school fees. 

The parents, genuinely affected by lockdown, must share their problems with school owners and seek relaxation. Indeed it’s a time of give and take. It’s a collective issue. 

The salaries of schools staff will continue getting delayed if the deadlock persists and the parents don’t pay the long overdue fees without second thoughts or apprehensions.