Parents in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have urged education authorities to investigate alleged repeated admission and annual fees charged by private schools, with some families reporting additional payments of up to Rs50,000 at the start of a new academic session.
Parents allege that several schools demand admission fees, security charges and other payments from students who are already enrolled, using terms such as annual charges, re-admission fees, promotion fees and system fees.
According to reports cited by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), parents say these payments come on top of monthly tuition fees and are becoming increasingly difficult for middle-income families to afford.
They have called for investigations, transparent fee structures and refunds wherever authorities establish that charges were collected in violation of applicable regulations.
Parents Report Annual School Charges of Rs30,000 Per Child
Muhammad Asif, whose two children attend a private school in Islamabad’s G-11 sector, told APP that the school includes an admission fee in its annual March fee voucher despite both children already being enrolled.
Asif said he pays Rs30,000 per child in annual charges, which the school administration reportedly describes as a system fee. He also alleged that the school’s annual charges increased by 40% this year without adequate justification.
Another parent, identified as Mrs Sadia, said she paid Rs75,000 for her two children at the beginning of the new academic session, although both had been attending the same school for three years.
These accounts highlight parents’ concerns about the affordability and transparency of private education. However, the reported charges and fee increases have not been independently verified, and the legality of individual payments depends on the applicable regulations and the school’s approved fee structure.
What PEIRA Regulations Say About School Fees
The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) regulates private schools operating in Islamabad Capital Territory, including the determination of admission fees, security fees, tuition fees and other charges.
Under its published Fee-Determination Policy for Private Educational Institutions in ICT, schools must disclose their schedule of financial charges to parents before admission or at least 60 days before the start of an academic session.
The policy also states that schools must not impose charges outside the schedule acknowledged by parents or students.
The authority’s official mandate includes regulating private educational institutions, determining applicable fees and conducting inspections.
These provisions provide a basis for examining parents’ complaints. Whether a particular annual or re-admission charge violates the rules requires a review of the school’s disclosed fee schedule, the nature of the payment and the regulations applicable to that institution.
Parents have also questioned increases in annual charges, including the 40% increase alleged by Asif. PEIRA publishes policies and assessment criteria concerning fee increases on its official policy page, which parents can consult when checking the regulatory framework.
Parents Allege Schools Withhold Results Over Unpaid Fees
Some parents have also alleged that private schools withhold examination results and roll numbers when annual charges are not paid by the deadline.
They want authorities to investigate these complaints alongside disputed fee collections and take appropriate action where schools are found to have breached applicable rules.
PEIRA operates an official complaint management system that allows parents and members of the public to report excessive fees and other concerns involving private schools in Islamabad. The portal provides a channel for submitting and tracking complaints.
Parents can strengthen a complaint by retaining fee vouchers, payment receipts, written explanations from school administrations and copies of any correspondence with the regulator.
Calls for Transparent Fee Policies and Refunds
Parents have urged authorities to audit disputed school charges, improve complaint handling and ensure refunds where unlawful collections are established.
They have also demanded clearer fee policies and regular monitoring to prevent unexpected charges from being added to school bills without proper disclosure.
PEIRA’s jurisdiction covers private educational institutions in Islamabad Capital Territory. Complaints concerning schools in Rawalpindi fall outside its territorial mandate and should be directed to the relevant Punjab education authorities.
For families in both cities, the central issue is whether schools are charging fees transparently and in accordance with the rules that apply to them.
An official response from the relevant regulators and the schools named in individual complaints would help establish whether the reported charges breach existing requirements and what remedies may be available to affected parents.
