Private Schools Suffocated By Red Tape
Education is an important determinant in the socio-economic development of a nation. Quality of education in a country indicates the quality of its human resource. Expenditure on education is considered as an investment in human resource enrichment. The developed countries spend a lot of money for the provision of education to their people while developing countries spend money according to available resources.
Education system in Pakistan is facing many problems which need to be identified and resolved as education plays an important role in socio-economic development. Education is a crucial investment for the development of the human resource and economic factor in the country.
The private education sector in Pakistan accounts for 50 percent of enrolment in Punjab. This sector needs to be taken more seriously for the opportunities it provides.
Research and studies have been conducted to compare the various aspects of public and private schools all over the world. Jimenez and Lockheed (1995) have summarized many studies comparing public and private schools with the conclusion that private schools improved student performance as measured by standardized test of verbal and mathematical skills. It has also been reported that average student performance was better in private than public schools.
Private schools are being “suffocated” by excessive government bureaucracy, according to leading private school group owners in Pakistan. The schools have been “baseball batted” by government bureaucracy since the last year.
Rising numbers of private schools have been threatened with legal action by a generation of powerful “alpha parents” who seek maximum returns for their fees.
Private school owners are increasingly facing litigation over teaching standards and the attempted expulsion of troublemakers amid an escalating compensation culture in schools. The “unrealistic demands” from parents can be categorized as big headaches facing private schools owners.
Once thriving private schools that have been transforming children’s lives for decades are now crushed under the foot by the regulators.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of CourtingTheLaw.com or any organization with which she might be associated.
