Concerns Raised Over Unprecedented Increase in Federal Board Affiliation and Other School Fees
ISLAMABAD (City Reporter): A delegation of the All Private Schools Associations Joint Action Committee met Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at his office and expressed serious concerns over the multiple-fold increase in various fees charged by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE).
The delegation included former Board of Governors member Nasir Mahmood, Board of Governors member Hafiz Muhammad Basharat, President Chamber of Education Pakistan, President APSMA Northern Punjab Abrar Ahmed Khan, President NAPS Chaudhry Muhammad Obaidullah, President Private Schools Network Maqbool Hussain Dar, President PSCMA Malik Naseem Ahmed, former Board of Governors member and President APSMA Women Wing Rawalpindi Division Mrs. Sakina Taj, and Private Educational Society leader Raja Khalid Mahmood.
The delegation briefed the federal minister on its serious reservations regarding the substantial increase in affiliation, inspection, renewal, security, and other related fees imposed by the FBISE.
The representatives said the decision would place particularly severe financial pressure on private educational institutions charging low and moderate tuition fees.
They maintained that private educational institutions are government partners in the provision of education and are providing quality education to millions of children. They said these institutions play a key role in fulfilling the constitutional right to education under Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The delegation pointed out that the majority of private schools operate on relatively low fees, with a substantial portion of their income already being spent on teachers’ salaries, building rents, utility bills, educational resources, and other operational expenses.
They said schools were already facing severe financial challenges because of inflation, rising operational costs, social security contributions, EOBI obligations, taxes, and other statutory requirements.
In such circumstances, they said, the extraordinary increase in FBISE fees had become financially unsustainable for many institutions.
The delegation demanded an immediate review of the increased FBISE fees and called for the disproportionate increases to be withdrawn or significantly reduced.
They further proposed that if an increase in fees was unavoidable, it should be introduced gradually and after consultation with private educational institutions.
The delegation also called for a special concessional fee structure for low-fee schools.
In addition, the representatives requested that private educational institutions be allowed a reasonable annual fee adjustment of at least 10 percent in view of rising inflation and operational costs, enabling them to maintain educational standards and financial sustainability.
Federal Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui listened attentively to the delegation’s concerns and assured the representatives that the legitimate concerns and recommendations of private educational institutions would be seriously reviewed.
He said efforts would be made to develop a balanced and fair solution that serves the best interests of students, parents, private educational institutions, and the national education system.
The All Private Schools Associations Joint Action Committee expressed hope that the Ministry of Education would recognize private educational institutions as genuine partners in national educational development and take practical steps to address their concerns.