The Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions, Sindh, has served notices on all three campuses of a private school in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, for allegedly charging tuition fees in excess of the amount approved by the registration authority and for collecting annual fees in violation of the applicable regulations.
According to the notice issued by Additional Director Registration, Directorate of Private Institutions Sindh, Prof Rafia Mallah, the action followed repeated complaints from parents alleging that the school had been charging excessive tuition fees and unlawfully collecting annual fees. The school was also accused of failing to provide fee concessions to at least 10 per cent of its enrolled students, as required under the relevant law.
The Directorate has directed the school management to immediately stop charging the unlawful fees and refund all illegally collected amounts to parents within 15 days. It has also instructed the institution to grant fee waivers to eligible students in accordance with the law.
The notice warns that failure to comply with these directives will result in strict legal action under Section 8 of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Control) Ordinance, including the suspension or cancellation of the school’s registration certificate.
Officials said that before issuing the final notice, the Directorate had served the school with show-cause notices regarding the alleged illegal fee collection. However, the school’s management failed to provide a satisfactory response. It was subsequently summoned to appear before the Directorate for a formal hearing.
During the hearing, the school management was reportedly unable to justify the collection of excess and annual fees or produce any documentary evidence in support of its position, prompting the Directorate to proceed with disciplinary action.
