Schools can’t force parents to buys uniforms, stationaries from specific shops

KARACHI: The Directorate of Private Institutions, Sindh, has taken notice of the complaints that some private schools force parents to buy uniforms and stationaries from a specific shop.

On Wednesday, the directorate issued a circular to all the private schools in the province.

It said that the schools can not force parents of the students to buy copies, books, stationaries and uniforms from school or a specific shop.

The directorate also prohibited the schools from asking parents to purchase printed cover copies, registers, journals etc. from the school or any particular shop.

“Instead, the school may supply only the stickers showing the name of the school to the parents to be pasted on the cover of school copies, registers, journals etc,” the circular read.

The private schools can only collect fees per month wise as the directorate prohibited the schools from collecting fees quarterly or bimonthly.

The circular further reads that the schools can not change the design of students’ uniform for at least. The directorate’s permission will be mandatory if any school wants to change the design even after five
years.

No student shall be expelled or punished like keeping them in isolation, standing on benches, scolding and rebuking, not allowed to sit in examination/test etc. over non-payment of the fee for less than three
months, it said.

The directorate also prohibited schools from charging a late fee.

In case a complaint is lodged by the parents in the Directorate of Inspection & Registration of Private Institutions Sindh, against the school administration, the school can not expel their children from the
school till the inquiry is completed and proved to be baseless.

The schools will also not be able to expel any student from the school without necessary proceeding. “The parents shall be issued at least two warning letters and be allowed to hear them in person before taking such action,” the circular read. TF REPORT