All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) Divisional President Ibrar Ahmed Khan said on Tuesday that all eight Intermediate and Secondary Education boards of Punjab have increased their fees in an attempt to cover up their budgetary losses and this was unacceptable. APPSMA divisional president rejected this increase in the fee structure of the boards and termed it as an anti- education policy of the boards concerned. Inspection fee of associated educational institutions had been raised to Rs 10,000 from Rs 5,000. Similarly re-visit fee had also been doubled. After the government’s approval, secondary education boards in Punjab had increased examination fee for Matric and Intermediate registration fee processing and language fee. The decision of Punjab Boards Committee of Chairman (PBCC) would be affective from the 2012 supplementary examination. Under this decision, class 9th and 10th examination fee for science group had been increased to Rs 700 from Rs 600, and the new fee for arts group was raised to Rs 650 from Rs 550. In the same way fee for private Matric and combined science group had also been increased.
One respects and appreciates the intentions of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on improving and upgrading the education system in Punjab. However, the steps and the direction he takes in this regard seem superficial and more tilted toward political gimmickry. The youth being the largest segment of the population automatically gets extra attention and planning but doing so by taking the midway approach leaves many things unattended. A holistic approach to education is required if anything good is intended toward this end. Closing down ghost schools, merging schools where needed, improving the environment and situation of schools in small towns and localities, hiring skilled teachers, giving proper incentives and raising the salaries of teachers to actually make them look and feel noble, are a few areas that need immediate attention. Dispensing laptops, building Daanish Schools and putting a few computers here and there would not help solve the education crisis; it requires a piecemeal approach with a strong education policy supporting it. I request you not to politicize the education by distributing laptops and making new schools while already present institutions are totally neglected and are in shambles.
maa hazaa
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