Government Plans to Impose Commercialization Fee on Private Schools

The government is preparing to introduce a commercialization fee for private schools as part of a broader regulatory framework aimed at monitoring how private educational institutions utilize land and building infrastructure. The proposed private school commercialization policy seeks to strengthen oversight of property use while formalizing compliance requirements for school premises operating in commercial or mixed-use areas.

The proposal was reviewed in a meeting chaired by Special Secretary Schools Muhammad Iqbal, with Additional Secretary Dr. Farhan and representatives of private schools in attendance. Participants from the private education sector, including Mian Imran Masood, Qazi Naeem Anjum, Kashif Adeeb, and Ali Raza, expressed reservations about the introduction of an additional commercialization charge.

Private school representatives argued that the new fee structure could increase the financial burden on institutions and ultimately impact parents through higher tuition costs. They highlighted that private schools already face annual building rent increases of around 10 percent, while regulatory caps restrict annual tuition fee hikes to 5 percent. According to stakeholders, this imbalance limits their ability to absorb new costs without affecting families.

During the consultation, the Rector of the Unique Group urged policymakers to provide relief measures to private schools to prevent any negative impact on education quality, operational sustainability, and classroom resources. School operators emphasized the need for a balanced regulatory approach that safeguards affordability while ensuring compliance with land-use policies.

Government officials indicated that concerns raised by the private education sector would be taken into account. A slab-based mechanism for implementing the commercialization fee is under consideration, which could categorize schools based on size, location, or revenue to manage the financial impact more equitably.

In a related development, authorities confirmed that a new academic calendar will be issued following approval from the Chief Minister. The upcoming schedule is intended to help schools, administrators, and education departments complete preparations for the next academic year in a timely and coordinated manner.