KARACHI, Aug 7: The provincial ombudsman, Justice (retired) Haziqul Khairi, has asked the secretary, department of education, Sindh, to furnish a report about legal action taken against unregistered schools in the private sector.

About one year ago, the ombudsman had directed the secretary of education to take necessary action against all the unregistered private schools if they failed to register themselves with the concerned authority within a period of six months and to report the matter to him accordingly, said a press release.

The decision was taken on August 3, 2001, by the ombudsman on a private complaint filed by a citizen in which he had accused the provincial education authorities of inaction against a private school for charging exorbitant fees from his son without the approval of the government.

The then deputy director of private schools, who ceased to exist after the enforcement of the devolution of power plan, had informed the ombudsman that about 310 private schools were functioning in the city without getting themselves registered with the concerned authority as required under the then Sindh Registration of Unrecognised Educational Institutions Ordinance 1962. The private schools’ deputy director had also furnished the names of all the unregistered schools in Karachi.

In view of the mandatory provision of the 1962 ordinance, which has now been replaced by the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (regulation and control) Ordinance 2002, the ombudsman had held that it would be incumbent upon all the private educational institutions, with 50 or more students on its roll, to get themselves registered with the concerned authority.

The ombudsman had also maintained that whosoever ran an unrecognised private educational institution shall render himself liable to punishment under the law which might be extended to one year’s jail term or would have to pay a fine up to Rs1,000 or more.

However, before the expiry of the six-month period, whereafter the secretary of education was supposed to take action under the existing law against the unregistered schools, the Sindh Registration of Unrecognised Educational Institutions Ordinance (1962) was repealed.

In the meantime, the Sindh Private Educational Institutions (regulations and control) Ordinance 2002 came into force on January 5, under which an existing unregistered private educational institution shall not continue to function for more than ninety days without registration, with effect from the date of commencement of the ordinance — after April 4, 2002.

According to the list provided by the deputy director of schools, there were schools located both in posh and the low- income group areas, which were operating without any registration with the government.

The areas included Azam Basti, Manzoor Colony, Clifton, Mehmoodabad, KAECHS, PECHS, Chanesar Village, Akhtar Colony, Defence View, Lyari, Lea Market, Garden West, Bihar Colony, Agra Taj Colony, DHA, Orangi, Qasba, Burns Road and Surjani Town.

The list also included names of big chains or system of schools stretched over 14 to 32 branches. Some A level and grammar schools were also reported as unregistered.