Sindh Bans Private Schools and Colleges From Collecting Advance Fees

Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh (DIRPIS) has banned private schools and colleges from forcing parents and students to buy uniforms, textbooks, copies, and other stationery items from specific outlets.

Private educational institutions have also been barred from expelling students due to unpaid dues without informing DIRPIS. They have also been banned from collecting money from students to organize extracurricular activities.

DIRPIS has also banned private schools and colleges from changing uniforms without approval. It has also barred them from giving physical punishment to students.

Private educational institutes have also been banned from collecting fees on a bimonthly, quarterly, biannually, and yearly basis. They are now required to only issue monthly fee vouchers. Parents intending to submit fees for more than one month will only be issued bimonthly fee vouchers. Private schools and colleges will also be required to display the fee structures on notice boards.

Under Rule 13 of Sindh Educational Institutions Act 2005, private educational institutes will be required to give a 10% fee concession to deserving students and award scholarships to top-performing students.

The development comes a couple of weeks after the All Sindh Parents’ Association (ASPA) held a protest against the illegal practices of private schools and colleges in the province.

Along with numerous other demands, the protestors had demanded private educational institutes to allow them to pay fees in US Dollars instead of Pakistani Rupees.