ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Monday expressed its grave concerns over what it stated were “uncontrolled fee hikes” being made by private schools in the federal capital.
As per regulations of Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira), a school located in the jurisdiction of Islamabad can increase fee by 5pc with a maximum of 8pc hike for higher performing institutions.
However, due to weak regulatory check, parents have been facing an unbridled hike in fee mainly carried out by upscale private schools.
The issue was taken up by Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education, which met with Senator Bushra Anjum Butt in the chair.
Upscale private schools charging exorbitant fees; Peira officials level corruption allegations against each other
Besides other agenda items, the committee focused on this public issue, as parents have been facing massive fee increase.
During the course of the meeting, the committee chairperson, Bushra Butt, condemned the unregulated fee increases by private institutions.
She noted that according to Peira Fee Determination Policy, an increase must not exceed 5pc with a maximum of 8pc for high-performing institutions, adding that schools demanding Rs50,000 in unjustified fees must revise their challans immediately.
Peira officials told the committee that the new policy did not bound parents to buy books or uniforms from specific vendors, assuring it that any violation would be dealt with as per policy.
The committee chairperson demanded updated lists of private schools that had raised fees up to Rs50,000.
On the other hand, Peira claimed that whenever they received complaints of fee hike, they directed the schools to issue a revised challan form.
It is relevant to note that many upscale schools have increased their fees by up to 12 percent in violation of a notification issued by Peira in 2021. According to the said notification, no school can increase the fee by more than 5pc per year with the base fee of 2017.
The notification stated that any institution demanding more than 5pc annual increase “shall be required to establish a case based on rationality and keeping in view the extraordinary additional facilities available and quality of education”. Beyond 5pc increase, “shall range from six to eight per cent on an annual basis”.
In the past too, the issue of exorbitant fees of private schools had been taken up by standing committees and other forums, but the issue later died down without any relief to parents.
On the other hand, Peira officials are leveling corruption allegations against each other.
The committee was left surprised after Peira member academic Imtiaz Qureshi leveled allegations against the chairperson, Zia Batool, claiming that the chairperson, who resigned on August 5, continued to exercise administrative powers despite having resigned, which was in violation of the ministry’s orders.
Mr Qureshi alleged that the chairperson withdrew salaries of August and September from Peira, besides the self-sanctioned honoraria and inspection allowances, despite having joined Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority.
Member Peira Imtiaz Qureshi accused the chairperson of receiving dual salaries, saying that financial and administrative irregularities worth Rs716 million were also flagged by audit authorities for the auditing year 2023-24.
Zia Batool denied all allegations, stating that she had not withdrawn a single penny outside of her entitlement.
Amid heightened tensions, the member claimed that a fabricated FIR was filed against him, “threatening his life and family”. Ms Batool also denied any involvement in this.
In August this year, the FIA lodged an FIR against the member for allegedly misappropriating funds amounting toRs7 million, which were meant for distributing books.
He was also accused for “stealing” a motorbike, cameras, three UPS and crockery set.
Later, Peira member Imtiaz Qureshi got relief from the court.
Ms Batool told the committee that she never received a penny from the government exchequer beyond her entitlement and had nothing to do with the said FIR.
After hearing both sides, the committee chairperson said: “These are serious allegations without proof. This conflict requires an impartial, third-party investigation. A meeting with Senator Dr Afnan Ullah Khan will be convened to resolve the matter.”
The committee also received a detailed briefing from Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design about the protests staged by 85 faculty/staff members against alleged illegal appointments made by the vice-chancellor and other officials — issues that gained widespread attention on media and social platforms.
During the course of the meeting, a university representative claimed to be unaware of the protest videos but promised a detailed response in the next meeting.
Senator Butt said: “Universities are not family businesses. The VC has become a tyrant; operations are at a standstill. Harassment and illegal appointments will not be tolerated.”
She also sought records of appointments made in the last four years.
The committee also took up the issue of Federal Urdu University, which, according to it, was facing crippling financial crisis with Rs1.24 billion unpaid liabilities including salaries from July to September this year, pension from June to September, commutation, Rs241 million and house rent ceiling of 13 months worth Rs370 million.
During the meeting, the HEC confirmed that despite stagnant federal funding, it extended Rs1.1 billion in fiscal year 2024-25 and a 15pc increase in fiscal year 2025-26.
A proposed Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs800 million for Urdu university was not approved by the ECC.
“How can pensioners survive without their rightful dues? Specially those belonging to education. Budgetary allocations must address this. The minister must appear in the next meeting with a permanent solution,” the committee chairperson said.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2025
