FAISALABAD – The parents of the DPS students staged a protest rally against the decision of the oldest private school of Faisalabad Divisional Public School (DPS), announcing 22 percent increase in the fees.
After the protest, DPS Principal Shahid Mahmood and DMC Principal Saleem Raza held dialogues with the parents but the session ended without any outcome as both the sides stuck to their guns. The aggrieved parents’ group announced another protest rally on Friday (today) at District Council Chowk to pressurise the district government to accept their demand.
The revised fee structure will also apply to its sister institution, Divisional Model College (DMC), being run by the same management. The revision announced by the DPS board of governors will take effect from July 2010 and the students are required to clear the dues of last six months at the new rates. In addition to the fee increase, the management has also ruled 17 percent increase in transport charges and up to 30 percent increase in printing charges.
The decision has resulted in an increase in the financial woes of the parents who are already compelled to tighten their belts due to the growing inflation and high prices. The break down of the increase specifies Rs 440 from class one to class four, Rs. 430 from class 6 to matriculation, Rs. 450 for O Level, Rs. 600 for FSc and A Level classes.
Similarly, printing and stationery charges of class one to four have annually increased by Rs 200, class five to class ten Rs 800 and O Level and FSc Rs 500. Meanwhile, Sandal College has also decided a substantial increase in students’ fees. The repercussions of the decision were heard around the city centres as a group of the parents staged a strong protest rally.
The protesters gathered at District Council Chowk and condemned the decision of the board of governors headed by Commissioner Tahir Hussain. They called it an anti-education and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the fee increase. The protesting parents included Tariq Munir Advocate, Mian Liaqat Ali, Sheikh Ikhlaq Ahmed, Sheikh Naeem, Waheed Khaliq Ramay, Sohail Masood, Rashid Shabbir, Mian Naveed, Haji Salman Ahmed, Malik Muhammad Asghar and others.
“This is an unjust decision arbitrarily taken by the BoG and we demand its repeal,” said a father. “The ill will of the BoG is evident from the fact that the revised fee is applicable from July 2010,” he said. “This is running quite contrary to the Punjab government’s much publicised slogan of promoting education in the province,” said another father.
