rawalpindi - No one in district education department or provincial education ministry seems in a mood to take action against private schools, as their managements have not only refused to close schools in scorching weather but are also collecting summer vacations fee in advance.

Earlier, Lahore High Court (LHC) had restrained private schools from collecting two or three months fee during summer vacations and had ordered government to implement the order.

Unfortunately, the district education department has badly failed not only in implementing the court’s order but also to close the private schools.

During a survey conducted by The Nation yesterday, it was observed that a large number of private educational institutions located at Potohar and Rawal Towns and other far-flung areas of the district are still open. Many students have fallen ill because of scorching heat.

Attal Khan, a father of three schoolchildren, told The Nation that his children are studying in Blue Star Public School on Misrial Road where teachers are not announcing summer vacations. He said that he received a notice from principal for depositing three months summer vacations fee. He said that it was reported in media that LHC barred private schools from doing so but no action was being taken against the principal.

Humaira Arshad, a 6th class student who studies at Aiza Model School Hayyal, said that she was asked by her class teacher to pay three month summer vacation fee till June 15 and after that the principal would announce summer vacations. “We are forced to sit in humid and hot classrooms. There is no UPS or generator in case of loadshedding. We take bottle of cold water from home. I request Punjab government to take action against my school,” she said.

EDO Education Qazi Zahoor Ul Haq, however, when contacted for his comments over the issue, said that the education department is taking action against those schools which are still open. So far, he said, a total of 60 private schools have been issued notices over violation of government’s orders. However, the EDO remained tight-lipped over a question of collection of summer vacation fees despite LHC’s order.