The Punjab government has announced to establish the Punjab Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PPEIRA) to regulate the affairs of private schools and colleges in the province.
As a protest against the announcement, the President of the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA), Malik Ibrar Hussain, has threatened to shut down private schools and colleges in the province.
According to the details, PPEIRA will be led by the Education Minister as its chairman. The authority will consist of 11 members including MPAs.
PPEIRA will have its sub-committees in all districts of the province. The authority will regulate different affairs of private educational institutes, including registration, teachers’ salaries, teachers’ education, buildings, facilities, and fees.
Private educational institutes will be required to seek approval for every new campus separately from PPEIRA. It will also monitor and inspect private schools and colleges frequently. It will have access to the entire record of private educational institutes.
Private educational institutes will also face legal action in case of violation of PPEIRA’s rules. They will face a fine of up to Rs. 200,000 in case of violation of rules, up to Rs. 10 million for harassment, and up to Rs. 20 million for negligence. They will face a fine of Rs. 25,000 daily till the redressal of complaints.
PPEIRA will be empowered to seal schools and colleges, register FIR against their heads, punish the heads with up to one-year imprisonment, collect fines through the Land Revenue Act, and take over the control of schools and colleges.
Meanwhile, APPSCA President has claimed that the provincial government finalized the plans to establish PPEIRA without consulting relevant stakeholders, and has warned to shut down private educational institutes as a protest.
