PAKISTAN’S tuition ‘industry’ is estimated to be worth billions of rupees. Most such centres operate as private businesses with little or no government oversight. These centres almost always lack emergency exits, fire safety equipment, structural fitness certificates, sanitation standards and qualified staff. The absence of regu-lation has transformed many educational facilities into potential safety hazards. The recent tragedy in Lahore is perhaps the strongest evidence of this regulatory vacuum.
A robust regulatory framework should begin with compulsory registration of every tuition centre, regardless of size. Registration should require submission of ownership documents, structural safety certificates issued by qualified engineers, fire safety clearance, sanitation certi-fication, emergency evacuation plans, and verification of instructors’ credentials. Annual renewal should depend upon successful inspections rather than per-manent licensing.
Regular inspections should effectively assess building integrity, electrical safety, classroom occupancy limits, ventilation, sanitation and compliance with child protection standards. Also, a centralised digital registration portal should maintain real-time records of all licensed tuition centres for parents’ convenience.
Every instructor should possess mini-mum educational credentials relevant to the subjects being taught. Child safe-guarding policies — including mechanisms for reporting harassment or abuse — must be incorporated into the licensing process.
Financial transparency constitutes another important dimension. Many academies collect substantial fees without issuing receipts or maintaining proper financial records. Registration would facilitate documentation, taxation, consumer protection, and legal account-ability while discouraging fraudulent operators.
Some critics argue that excessive regu-lation could discourage small neighbour-hood tutors. To resolve this grievance, governments can adopt a proportionate licensing model, where individual home tutors face simplified registration while larger commercial academies comply with stricter operational requirements.
Imran Ali
Hyderabad
Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2026
