Ghost Schools

Pakistan has the lowest school enrollment rate in all of South Asia, and ghost schools and corruption are undoubtedly factors contributing to the problem.
Balochistan’s education minister has disclosed that there are approximately 3,500 ghost schools in the province. This means that nearly 25 per cent of educational institutions for children exist only on papers.
It is obvious that the education department has failed in its duty to see to this and it is futile to expect it to ensure that ghost schools are eliminated. Its functionaries are hand in glove with errant teachers who are offered protection by those whose job it is to keep an eye on them. Wouldn’t it be more effective if an independent system were in place with non-bureaucrats acting as a check at different levels? Meanwhile, the stakeholders, that is the parents of children who need schools, should be encouraged to approach offices that should be easily accessible to register their complaints.

Sindh

It is said there are now 5,000 such ghost schools. These schools exist on paper only as supposedly all teachers and other staff are receiving their salaries; the repair budget is being regularly spent in maintaining buildings; and students are being shown to be receiving education. But, in fact, no student is receiving any education at such schools.

Regulatory Body For Private Schools

Punjab government has failed to establish a regulatory body to control the fee structure of private educational institutions, which are looting the people with both hands. People prefer to send their children to private educational institutes due to higher standard of education and facilities. And that is the reason the private educational institutes charge higher fees from parents for imparting quality education. ‘The News’ learnt that some elite class schools are taking more than Rs50,000 admission fee and Rs6,800 monthly fee from nursery and Class I students. The reliable sources said that government, feudal lords and private schools are working in tandem as they want to keep the common man away from quality education and that is why they were not in favour of any regulatory body to control the fee structure of private educational institutes.
All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association Central Chairman Adeeb Jawdani told ‘The News’ that Punjab government should establish a body to regulate fee structure to end class distinction. He admitted that elite class schools were creating class difference among people. Not only private schools but Army Public Schools as well are getting higher fees from civilians, which was due to low educational standard in government schools in the province. “Education is the first pillar of any society, but unfortunately government is not taking any kind of steps for improving its standard,” he added.
 There are 80,000 private schools in Punjab and the number is increasing day-by-day.
Executive District Officer (EDO) Education Malik Muhammad Ashraf said private institutions are looting people. “We have received hundreds of complaints in this regard. Punjab government is working to establish a body to regulate fee structure of all private institutions. The fee structure of all private schools would be controlled and equal. After establishing governing body, we would take strict legal action against violators, who would charge extra money from parents,” he added. THE NEWS.
Does any body know what is the address of "All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association"? Do they have an office?A telephone number?Web address?E Mail?

Teacher's Problems

Major reasons for lack of motivation in primary and secondary school teachers:-

Government School Teachers

• Inadequate salary. In Pakistan, primary school teachers earn roughly between Rs 5000 and Rs 8000 (50 to $100). This is almost the same for a cook, gardener or chauffeur often earns.Therefore,many primary school teachers in Pakistan are forced to take on extra jobs to supplement their incomes, they are often absent from the classroom.

• Teaching is seen as a temporary job that will be left once a better opportunity comes along.

• Horrible working conditions many teachers must endure further lessen their motivation. They discourage possible candidates from becoming teachers and often lead to incumbent teachers leaving the profession.

• There is little opportunity for career advancement in the teaching profession in Pakistan, especially for primary school teachers. The only one available to most teachers is to move into secondary school teaching. This however, has negative effects on the primary school system, since it is often the most motivated teachers who leave teaching primary school for secondary school.

• There is virtually no system of accountability for teachers. There is no local authority to ensure that teachers attend classes and teach their students. Head teachers have little authority to censure teachers who do not turn up for work. Even parents have no way to endure proper teaching. 

          ( Inspired from : http://www.yespakistan.com/education/teacher_motivation.asp)
Private School Teachers 

• There is no forum where teachers can go with their grievances. Private school owners have ABSOLUTE power of hire and fire.
• Teachers are kept on the job WITHOUT CONTRACT. Mainly due to the reason that owners do not want to increase salary with experience.
• No system for gauging performance of teachers.
• The owners prefer quick hiring and firing because it saves them money.    
• Teachers are not paid SUMMER VACATION salaries on one pretext or the other whereas schools charge fees from the students 

Value For Money

Mother of a child who is studying in Roots School System said the school administration is charging high fee and there is no relaxation for anyone. Besides, they extract funds for several occasions, which is very hard to manage for the people who hardly bear the fee expenses.She runs a parlour to make ends meet and has three children.Sharing her first hand experience, she said that she went to his son’s school to get one-month fee waived off due to tight financial conditions. “The school flatly refused to accept my request,” she lamented.
Shamim, mother of a four children said no parents want to compromise on the education of their children but prevailing price hike has limited the options and one has to look for the institute charging less fee.
Private schools are extracting fees which do not match with the services they provide in term of education and environment and there must be check on the fee charged by these schools. When a parent asked for his comment on the performance of regulatory authority, she said it is good that the government realizes that parents are getting rubbed up the wrong way. But realization of an issue is not enough we want results of government actions, she said.
A mother, whose son studies in Beaconhouse School says she is satisfied with the education that her child is getting. The boy studies in class four and the school charges Rs5500 per month.It is a fact that vast majority of people cannot afford the fees demanded by the schools as the fees increase by Rs1,000 every year, she said. The difference between the quality of education and expenses in different private schools create a sense of deprivation among those students who cannot afford to study in better school, she said.

No Tax on Private Schools

Chairman Chief Minister’s Taskforce on Elementary Education, Raja Muhammad Anwar has said that Punjab government does not want to impose any tax on private schools with a view to their increasing role in promotion of education (Feb 2010). 

He also said a suggestion is under consideration that an independent, autonomous and representative body, Punjab Private Education Promotion and Regulatory Authority (PEPRA) of private schools be set up.

Wonder why schools that charge Rs 8-10,000 per month per student and have thousands of students remain out of the tax loop!!!