The Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the Punjab education secretary to appear in person to explain his position, as to why had private schools hiked their tuition fee and collected summer vacation fee in violation of the Supreme Court (SC) orders, on Monday. An LHC bench was hearing a petition seeking directives for private schools not to collect excessive tuition fee. The petitioner complained to the bench that certain private schools had raised their tuition fee excessively, in utter disregard for the SC orders. Expressing displeasure over the violation of the orders in regard to school fees, the bench summoned the provincial education secretary and the chief executive officer (CEO) of a private school to explain their position. In its judgment last week, the SC had ruled that private schools would charge the same fees as in January 2017. Earlier, on September 21, parents had taken to the street against the hike in school fees and blatant disregard of SC’s orders on the matter. A good number of parents demonstrated around the Liberty Chowk. They brought their kids along to participate in the protest and carried placards with inscriptions lamenting private school owners and their illegal practices. The protesting parents demanded that the SC orders be implemented in letter and spirit and an end to private school hegemony be sought.