LAHORE - Private schools are demanding tax exemption in exchange of decrease in fees amid the countrywide protests by parents and civil society.
The All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association says the private schools were compelled to increase fees because the government levied heavy taxes on the private institutions.
Besides the government taxes, the private schools have to bear other expenditures including constant increase in rent of school buildings, hike in electricity tariff, skyrocketing prices of school related products, raise in staff salaries and several other expenses.
The association’s central president, Adeeb Jawidani with secretary general Amjad Ali and other office bearers held a press conference at Lahore Press Club on Wednesday.
According to the association, the parents of the students of private schools are staging protests against the increased fees structure because they are not aware with the real situation and causes that compelled the fee hike.
“Private schools not only played important role in the promotion of education but also shared the burden of the government,” the association says. “Unfortunately the government, instead of facilitating the private schools, is creating problems for us.”
During the press conference, the association members accused the government of favouring the elite schools which are charging huge fees from the students. “The government never forced the famous and big private institutions to decrease their fees and revise fees structure.”
They demanded the government to give the private schools a status of welfare organisations and waive off the taxes levied on them so that these schools could be able to decrease fees.
Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Special Education Asif Saeed Manhais has said that for the welfare of special people, government would set up more institutions for the education and training of special children.
He was presiding over a high level departmental meeting. Secretary Special Education Ambreen Raza and other high rank officers of Special Education Department were also present in the meeting. The Minister said that Special Education Department has started many projects for the welfare and betterment of special children through which special people can be made useful part of the society. He added that department as well as parents and teachers should also pay special attention to the special children / persons and treat them politely. The Minister said that it is a difficult task to educate and train the special children through this initiative we can make disable persons part and parcel of the society. He further said that Punjab government in its limited resources is making all out efforts for the betterment and uplift of special persons and providing them all possible facilities in the institutions of Special Education Department in all districts of the province.
Sketching, Models Making and Posters contests held at UVAS: The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore arranged sketching, models and posters competitions in connection with the “Defense Day of Pakistan 1965” here on Wednesday.
Renowned poet Zahid Shamsi was the chief guest on the occasion and students from various departments of UVAS participated in the competitions and placed their posters and modals on displays at an exhibition in the Conference Hall.
In models making contest, team of Faran, Shahzad and Salsabeel from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition won 1st position.
In sketching Contest, Qandeel from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science (IPS) won 1st position. In poster contest, Zakiya from Bio-Sciences won 1st position.
Renowned poet Zahid Shamsi gave away shields and books among the winners while Prof Dr Kamran Ashraf, Prof Dr Asim Aslam and Dr Hafiz Hussain Azhar were also present on the occasion.
PU DECLARES RESULTS: Punjab University Examinations Department has declared the results of LLB Part-III annual examination 2015. Detailed results are also available at PU website www.pu.edu.pk.