Private school in Karachi ordered to reverse unlawful fee hikes

The Sindh government on Friday ordered a private school in Karachi to reverse fee hikes imposed during the summer holidays.

In a letter addressed to the principal and administrator of Veritas Learning Circle (Primary), dated July 10 (Friday), Sindh’s Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions — part of the provincial government’s School Education and Literacy Department — referred to a hearing held the previous day regarding complaints about the school’s “illegal and extraordinary” fee hike.

A copy of the letter is available with Dawn.

“During the course of the hearing, it was determined that your school, including all of its campuses, had enhanced tuition fees without the approval of the registration authority, in violation of the Rule 7(6) of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Control) Rules 2005,” the letter said.

The rule states that “any complaint regarding the tuition fees in violation of the rules or charging of any fee other than tuition fees shall be liable to be punished”.

“Therefore, you are hereby directed to immediately stop the collection of any excess or unapproved fees from the students,” the directorate’s letter stated.

It directed the school to immediately refund the amounts unlawfully collected as tuition fees from all students, noting that a compliance report was to be submitted to the directorate within 15 days, along with documentary evidence of the refunds.

It further directed the institution to only collect fees that had been duly approved by the registration authority.

“In case of non-compliance, action against the school shall be initiated under the relevant act/rules,” the letter added.

According to Rafia Mallah, additional director of registration at the Directorate of Private Schools, schools typically hike their fees after obtaining the directorate’s approval for a five per cent increase, for which they apply when renewing their registration.

In this case, she said, Veritas had not applied for the 5pc increment, nor was it scheduled to renew its registration this year: “They just enhanced their fees by themselves all of a sudden.”

A committee was constituted after complaints were received about the fee hike. As the school was closed for the summer holidays, it was summoned for a hearing on July 9 (Thursday).

During the hearing, it was found that the institution had decided to hike the fees on its own, following which a letter was issued directing it not to raise its fees “by a single rupee” above the amount previously approved by the directorate, she said.

She added that a circular was also issued to all schools, alongside a press release, to make it clear: “If any school increases its fees, action will be taken against it, and parents will be given a copy of the form stating that they do not have to pay any fees above those approved.”

The circular, a copy of which is also available with Dawn, noted that complaints had been received regarding excess tuition fees charged by schools as well as “additional hidden charges” being collected from parents.

“Do not request parents to pay any hidden charges other than the approved fees,” it said, as well as directing administrators to display the approved fee on the school’s notice board and reception.

It pointed out that fees outside of tuition fees, without the approval of the Registration Authority, violated Rule 7(4) of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Control) Rules, and added that violations of Rule 7(6) were punishable with a fine “which may extend to five lacs rupees” under Section 11 of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Control) Ordinance of 2001.

The circular further added that discrepancies would lead to “stern actions” against the school in accordance with Section 8 (Cancellation or suspension of certificate of registration) of the ordinance.