SHC directs private school to allow students to attend classes regularly

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday ordered a private school to let a group of students attend regular classes whose parents have accused that their children had been forced to sit in the school’s library for non-payment of over five per cent increase in tuition fee.

The direction came on a petition filed by a father, Asif Khanani, along with other parents, who submitted that the Academy School in PECHS area had increased tuition fee by 11 per cent which was a violation of the Supreme Court orders, according to which tuition fee in private schools could not be increased over five per cent.

But the counsel for the school rejected the accusation and submitted that the petitioners had not paid tuition fee for their children from October to December 2019.

On the other hand, the counsel for the petitioners submitted that the parents had cleared all dues up until October. Their lawyer argued that the reason for non-payment of tuition fee from October to December was that the school had illegally made an increment of 11 per cent in tuition fee.

The counsel contended that the children were forced to sit in the school’s library and stopped from attending regular classes. The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, observed that all private schools had already been directed to not commit any violation of the Supreme Court’s judgment in which the tuition fee structure for them had been decided.

The court directed the private school’s director operation to appear in person and submit a report as whether the children of the petitioners were being allowed to sit in the classrooms or forced to sit in the library.

The court ordered the private school to allow the children of the petitioners to attend classes on a regular basis, whereas the issue of non-payment of tuition fees shall be decided on the next date of hearing.