Rawalpindi: Private schools start charging ‘security fees’

[Naveed Yaseen]

by Obaid Abrar Khan
All reputed private schools in twin cities have started charging an extra amount of Rs200 to Rs300 per student under the head of security charges.

When contacted by ‘The News,’ Khadeeja Omair, director of the Roots School System, said “Keeping in view the security situation in the country, we have strengthened security by installing CCTV cameras, walkthrough scanners inside our campuses and deployed around 15 armed security guards. We have also raised the height of walls around our campuses to ensure security of children.”

“We are charging Rs200 per student as security charges as we have to meet these expenses,” she added.

Zaheer Ahmed, an official of the Froebel’s School, said “We were already getting security charges from students. But now we have increased security charges in all branches of the school due to the current security situation in the country.”

Muhammad Ahsan, security in-charge of the Beaconhouse School System, said “We held a high-level meeting with the government regarding the security situation in the country. The authorities had assured us of information sharing.” He said “If we talk about security on our campuses then we are taking these measures by ourselves. We have raised walls around our campuses, installed CCTV cameras and deployed armed security guards.”

Ahsan said “We are getting only Rs50 per head as security charges to meet these expenses.”

On the other hand, some parents told ‘The News’ that the Beaconhouse School System has increased Rs300 per head under the head of miscellaneous charges.

Nasreen Tariq, acting president of the Management and Staff of Private Educational Institutions and principal of the Silver Oaks School, while talking to ‘The News,’ said that private schools in twin cities are facing a hard time, as there is no concerned department to resolve our problems.

She said that many private schools are charging high fees as there in no check on them. “Many private schools, despite already charging heavy fees, are putting extra burden on parents in the form of security charges. It is totally unfair and putting extra burden on parents.” “Parents should raise their voice against such schools,” she added.

Nasreen said “We have invited all private schools to come under the Management and Staff of Private Educational Institutions for resolution all such issues. But many big schools are not willing to join us.” “There should be a check and balance system of private schools by the government,” she said.

Parents interviewed by ‘The News’ asked the concerned authorities to take action against school managements, which are charging security fees. According to them, all private schools increase their fees every year and now they have started charging extra amount as security fees.

They said that managements of private schools are looting them by printing their own notebooks and preparing school uniforms with the logos of their schools that are available at specific shops at alarmingly high rates.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=174798