Punjab Minister for Schools Education Dr Murad Raas on Tuesday asked owners of private schools in the province to cut 20 percent fees amid coronavirus spread.
The request has been made for the months of April and May. Murad Raas chaired a meeting to review the fees of the private schools.
The minister requested the private school owners not to fire any teacher from job due to present circumstances.
Punjab authorities have also started preparations for introducing an online system for conducting academic sessions and classes in universities across the province.
The decision was taken to reduce burden and educational loss of the students amid the closure of all institutions due to coronavirus pandemic.
A committee had been established to complete the task over the directives of Punjab’s Minister for Higher Education Khawaja Yasir Humayun. PHEC Chairman Professor Dr Fazl Khalid is appointed as convenor of the committee which has been tasked to finalise the subject-wise schedule of the curriculum.
Law Minister Raja Basharat said that in this hour of hardship the financially motivated community must contribute to the relief of the vulnerable and the destitute class because the Corona virus has impacted everyone so private school owners should voluntarily give a discount of at least 20% in the monthly fees of April and May.
He said that no school should receive a three-month fee all to gather, neither any teacher should be fired nor her/his salary should be deducted.
The law minister said that the Punjab government gives priority to the interests of students, parents, teachers and school owners simultaneously and wants to do so with mutual consultation.
He said that after the proposals of the school owners, the Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Bazdar would take the final decision regarding the concession in fees.
