IMPLEMENTATION OF FEE MECHANISM DECISION BY THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND SUMMER VACATIONS DURING COVID-19

Government of the Punjab, School Education Department decision regarding fee mechanism of private schools and summer vacations.

With reference to the aforementioned subject, it is submitted that Chief Minister, Punjab was pleased to assign the task regarding implementation of fee mechanism during COVID-19 to a committee with two Ministers i.e. Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs Department and Minister for School Education Department.

2. In the meantime, a meeting of Inter-provincial Education Minister Committee was held on 26.03.2020, under the Chairmanship of Federal Minister for Education through video conference wherein the provinces unanimously agreed that the closure of educational institutions shall be extended from 06.04.2020 till 31.05.2020, which shall be treated as summer vacations. The aforesaid unanimous recommendation was also placed by the Federal Minister for Education in the National Coordination Committee meeting held on 26.03.2020 under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Pakistan and was duly approved. In this regard, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has already issued notification on 27.03.2020 (Annexure-A). It would, therefore, be appropriate that notification in this regard is allowed to be issued by School Education Department, Govt. of the Punjab as the same is the mandate of the provincial government. Summary has been initiated separately.

3. Furthermore, meeting was held between the Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs and Minister for School Education Department on 29.03.2020 (Annexure-B), wherein following decisions were taken:

1. 80% fee will be charged by the private schools to facilitate the large number of general masses during the spread of COVID-19 in Punjab for the month of April and May 2020.
2. Fee will be charged on monthly basis. 
3. No teacher will be fired during this period. 
4. Full salary will be paid to the employees of the school.

4. It is further submitted that the Minster for School Education Department held a meeting with Chief Secretary, Punjab on 29.03.2020 wherein proposed initiatives of the School Education Department pertaining to the activities of the students during the closure of educational institutions were discussed and the following recommendations were approved for consideration:

1. Lectures being prepared by the School Education Department with the assistance of PMIU and PITB shall be made available online. They would also be handed over to the District Education Authorities by the System Network Administrators (SNAs) of the PITB so that the Deputy Commissioners can ensure their airing on local cable networks for which the divisional and district administrations shall hold a meeting with the local cable operators for provision of a local channel to aire the lectures prepared by the School Education Department free of cost. These lectures will be made available for Mathematics and Science subjects for class 01 to class 08 for two weeks in the first instance and will also include lectures of Mathematics and Science for class 09 and class 10 in two weeks schedule to follow. Efforts will be made by the District Education Authorities so that the said lectures can be started from 01.04.2020. This cycle will continue for the entire period of the vacations and can be developed into revision classes for the students once the situation becomes normal and educational institutions open for students.
2. School Education Department will prepare home work packages for students of class 01 to class 10 and make sure online availability as well as its distributions through their District Education Authorities.
3. It was also recommended by the Minister for School Education Department that students may allowed to be promoted from class 01 to class 08 based on the submission of home work given during these vacations so that exercise of home work is taken seriously by the students. The same dispensation should be implemented in the Private Schools also for which instructions may be allowed to be issued.

5. In view of the above, following proposals are submitted for consideration / approval of the Chief Minister, Punjab:

1. School Education Department may be allowed to issue Notification for closure of schools from 06.04.2020 to 31.05.2020 as Summer Vacations.
2. Recommendations of the Committee comprising of Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs Department and Minister for School Education Department, constituted by the Chief Minster, Punjab as given at para-3/ante may be allowed to be notified if deemed appropriate.
3. Arrangements during the Summer Vacations to be placed by the School Education Department pertaining to online lectures as well as through local cable network may be allowed to be launched from 01.04.2020. School Education Department will also ensure distribution of home work packages to the students. Instructions in this regard may be allowed to be issued to the Divisional and District Administrations.
4. Recommendations of Minister for School Education Department pertaining to promotion of the students of class 01 to class 08 on the basis of submission of the home work packages may be allowed to be notified. The same instructions may also be allowed to be issued to Private Schools if deemed appropriate.