KARACHI: In response to several complaints filed by parents and students, a government body responsible for regulating private schools in the province has directed the management of the institutions to not compel parents or students to purchase coursebooks, copies, uniforms and other items either from the school or any specific shop.

A circular issued by Prof Salman Raza, the director general of the directorate of inspection & registration of private institutions, Sindh, informed all principals/administrators of privately managed schools that they cannot ask the parents to purchase printed cover copies, registers, journals etc from the school or any particular shop. Instead, the school might only supply the stickers showing name of the school to the parents to be pasted on the cover of school copies, registers, journals etc.

“Do not compel to the parents/students to purchase uniform, school bags, books, and other stationery items from the school or any particular shop. The lists of school books, copies/registers, practical journals and other stationery items be issued to the students at the time of announcement of results/time of admissions instead of asking them for money to purchase the said items from the school so that they may purchase the same from open market on usual rates,” the circular said, adding: “Do not ask the parents to pay money for dresses, foods items, Mother’s Day, Flower’s Day, Colour Day, Mango Day, Music day, etc.”

It also directed that the parents should be issued monthly fee vouchers/challan or month-wise fee be collected instead of quarterly/ bimonthly. However, two-month fee vouchers might be issued to the parents who intend to deposit the fee at their own discretion.

Private schools told to give fee concessions to 10pc deserving students

It directed the schools to collect only approved fee from the students and told them to display it on the school’s notice board and reception as well as provide the same to the parents on demand to let the parents and students be aware of the same.

Students’ uniform could not be changed before five years, and the permission of the directorate is mandatory to change it.

Parent Teacher Associations

“As per Rule 12, it is imperative for the school to constitute Parents Teachers Association (PTA) representing both the parents and teachers which shall perform such functions as may be assigned it by the Registering Authority. The school will manage / conduct the meetings of the association on regular basis. This is issued in accordance with the Clause 10(2), Rule 7(1)(3)(4), Rules 12 and 13 of “The Sindh Educational Institutions (Regulation & Control) Ordinance-2001 Amendment Act-2003 & Rule-2005.”

As per Rule 13 of The Sindh Educational Institutions (Regulation & Control) Ordinance-2001 Amendment Act-2003 & Rule-2005, it directed the private schools to allow fee concession and award scholarship to at least 10 per cent deserving and meritorious students.

“No student shall be expelled or punished such as keeping them in isolation, standing on benches, scolding and rebuking, not allow to sit in examination/ test etc. on the basis of non-payment of the fee for the period of less than three months. Nonetheless, disciplinary action can be taken against the students for non-payment of the fee for more than three months,” it mentioned.

“No late fee shall be received from the students. Expulsion of any student from the school without necessary proceeding is prohibited. The parents shall be issued at least two warning letters and be given an opportunity to hear them in person before taking such action. In case of an unsatisfactory explanation of the parents, the names of their wards may, however, be struck off from the role of the school under the intimation to this Directorate,” the circular stated.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2022