Islamabad, 06 January 2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training examined concerns over an unjustified rise in school fees and questioned the fee appraisal mechanism used by the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PIERA). The meeting, convened by Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro at the Federal Directorate of Education conference room, called for stronger safeguards to ensure any school fees increase reflects real improvements in educational quality.
Members reviewed the quality assessment framework that underpins fee appraisals, noting it rests on seven core indicators: quality of teaching, classroom learning environment, infrastructure and facilities, transparency and public disclosure, administrative and operational capacity, cleanliness and discipline, and safety and security. The committee made it clear that adjustments to school fees must be directly tied to measurable gains across these indicators and must not impose an undue financial burden on parents.
The committee pressed PIERA to adopt stricter scrutiny, greater transparency, and more effective oversight so that quality-based appraisals are fair, credible and focused on student welfare rather than enabling arbitrary fee hikes. Members emphasized that transparent documentation and clear public disclosure are essential whenever a school seeks approval for higher school fees.
Committee members were informed that Memoranda of Understanding signed with non-governmental organisations have been vetted by the Ministry of Law and Justice and include provisions to comply with the notified minimum wage. The committee stressed that all employees working in government schools that are funded or operated through NGOs must be paid salaries in strict accordance with minimum wage laws, without exception.
The committee recommended that all buildings currently under the administrative control of the Directorate General of Special Education be formally handed over to DGSE so they are used exclusively for the education, rehabilitation and welfare of children with special needs. A reminder was issued to Baitul Mal in December 2025 to vacate the DGSE building. Officials also noted ongoing collaboration with NAVTTC to provide skill training for children with special needs to enhance their employability and income generation prospects.
In line with Pakistan’s obligations under various Articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training outlined initiatives to protect and promote child welfare. These measures include provision of free education and transport facilities, implementation of school-based free meal programmes, strengthening immunisation, vaccination and deworming campaigns, and mounting focused interventions to support mental health and emotional wellbeing within the education system.
The meeting was attended by MNAs including Anjum Aqeel Khan, Syeda Amnah Batool, Zeb Jaffar, Farah Naz Akbar (Parliamentary Secretary), Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar and Abdul Aleem Khan, along with the Secretary and officials from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, representatives from the Higher Education Commission and other concerned officers.
