Schools charging additional fees to face crackdown

KARACHI: The education department in Sindh has decided to take action against private schools found charging parents hidden and additional fees. Notifications and instructions have been issued.

In a notification issued by Additional Director of Private Schools Rafia Javed, the provincial education department has directed that action be taken against institutions that collect fees exceeding their approved tuition charges.

It was stated in a notification that some private institutes had been charging parents amounts beyond the government-approved tuition fee, along with extra and concealed charges, which is against the rules.

All private schools in Sindh have been instructed to charge only approved fees and to prominently display their fee structure on notice boards.

They are also directed to provide parents with a copy of the government’s approved tuition fee order upon request.

The provincial education department also directed all private schools to ensure the provision of basic facilities.

The notification warned that any private school found collecting additional or hidden fees would face action under the relevant regulations.

In addition, unregistered private institutes have been given 15 days to submit their online registration applications.

The department said schools that fail to meet the prescribed standards will not be granted registration certificates.

It added that deputy commissioners would be asked to close such institution, while students enrolled there would be transferred to nearby registered schools.