Authorities order refunds and warn of legal action for regulatory violations
KARACHI: Sindh education authorities have issued notices to all three campuses of a private school in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area over allegations of charging unapproved tuition fees, collecting annual fees in violation of regulations and failing to provide mandatory fee concessions to eligible students.
The notices were issued by the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions, Sindh, following repeated complaints from parents regarding excessive fee collection and alleged violations of provincial education regulations.
According to the official notice signed by Additional Director of Registration Prof. Rafia Mallah, the school allegedly charged tuition fees higher than those approved by the registration authority. Furthermore, the institution reportedly failed to provide fee concessions to at least 10 percent of its enrolled students, a requirement under the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Control) Ordinance.
Authorities order refunds and compliance
The Directorate directed the school management to immediately stop collecting the disputed fees and refund all amounts collected unlawfully to parents within 15 days.
Additionally, officials instructed the institution to provide fee waivers to eligible students in accordance with the applicable legal provisions. Authorities warned that failure to comply with these directives could result in strict legal action under Section 8 of the ordinance, including the suspension or cancellation of the school’s registration certificate.
Previous warnings failed to resolve issue
According to officials, the Directorate had earlier issued show-cause notices regarding the alleged fee irregularities. However, the school management reportedly failed to provide satisfactory explanations in response to the allegations.
Subsequently, education authorities summoned representatives of the institution for a formal hearing. During the proceedings, officials stated that the management could not justify the collection of higher tuition and annual fees or present documentary evidence supporting its actions.
Following the hearing, the Directorate initiated disciplinary proceedings against the school and reiterated its demand for immediate compliance with regulatory requirements.
Education authorities said they will continue monitoring private educational institutions to ensure adherence to fee regulations and safeguard the rights of students and parents. They also encouraged parents to report any suspected violations involving excessive fee collection or non-compliance with education laws.
