KARACHI, Sept 19 The Sindh education department's directorate of registration and inspection of private institutions has once again warned private schools that their registration will be cancelled if they do not stop the collection of 'unlawful fees' voluntarily.The latest warning came after the directorate received a number of complaints from parents against private schools which have not only increased the tuition fees in the mid of an academic year but have also started demanding extra fees such as 'annual charges' under different heads.

The directorate has asked the owners and management of private schools to abide by the rules under the Schools Registration Act and the Privately Managed Educational Institutions Act-2000 (PMEIA), otherwise registration of their schools would be cancelled and a board of governors would be set up to manage the affairs of such schools.

The private schools have also been directed to ensure provision of scholarships to 10 per cent students in accordance with the PMEIA-2000.

Talking to Dawn, head of the provincial directorate of registration and inspection of private institutions Mansoob Hussain Siddiqi said that all private schools would be served notices to furnish details of their fees structure and the number of students being granted scholarship within a week after Eidul Fitr.

He elaborated that the private schools would be required to provide a list of students getting scholarships, their addresses and telephone numbers so that the committees to be set up by the directorate could check the veracity of the claims made by the schools. In case the information provided by the schools was found fictitious, the registration of such private schools would be cancelled and a board of governors would be set up to run their day-to-day affairs. He added that each board of governors to be headed by an administrator would have an equal representation of government officials, parents (nominated by the government) and the school's management concerned.

The deputy director of the registration and inspection of private institutions directorate, Rafia Mallah, warned the management of private schools that drastic action would be taken against them if they did not shun the practice of seeking 'annual charges' from students. She said there was no legal provision for 'annual charges' in the PMEIA-2000, adding that the practice was totally unlawful.