Mian Adeel Ashraf
The shortage of petroleum products and recent price volatility in Pakistan have paralyzed every segment of life, and once again, the educational system has fallen victim to “closures.” While the government announced holidays for educational centers to conserve fuel or manage transport issues, this decision has raised new financial and academic questions for parents. The burden of fees remains unchanged; the question arises: why pay when schools are closed? The primary grievance of parents is that when children are at home and the buildings, electricity, and other facilities of schools, colleges, and universities are not being utilized, why is there no relief in monthly fees? Private educational institution owners argue that they must pay teachers’ salaries, but the parents’ question is equally valid—why is the entire burden of this economic crisis being shifted solely onto their shoulders? On one hand, there are heavy fees, and on the other, transport expenses remain at full despite zero usage.
The most alarming aspect is the transport charges. Due to the fuel shortage, children are not attending school, and vans and buses remain parked, yet transport owners are collecting full monthly fares. Parents rightly ask: when petrol wasn’t even used, what is the justification for the charges? If we look closely at this situation, parents are under severe financial pressure and worried about the educational loss of their children. Students are falling behind in their learning process due to the disruption in educational continuity, while school administrations remain financially secure by collecting full fees despite the closure.
Education is a state responsibility, but in the current circumstances, it appears to have turned into a business where “customers” (parents) are charged in full, but the service is withdrawn in times of need. The government must take notice of this and formulate a strategy for the closure of educational centers that can pull parents out of these financial distresses. Fees should be reduced; in the event of school closures, tuition fees should be decreased by at least 40% to 50%. A policy must be made for transport so that fares are limited only to the days when children actually attend school. Furthermore, a proper system should be established to maintain the quality of online education. If schools are closed, online classes should be conducted under a formal system rather than just a formality, so that parents do not feel the pain of paying the fees.
The petroleum crisis in Pakistan may be due to global or domestic reasons, but the price should not be paid by parents alone. It is high time that the Ministry of Education and relevant authorities intervene and bind private educational institutions to support parents in this difficult hour, rather than exploiting their helplessness.