Schools told not to force students to buy books, uniform from them

The Directorate of Inspection & Registration of Private Institutions Sindh (Dirpis) on Monday issued a circular with regard to the complaints received from parents and students about schools forcing them to buy stationery, backpacks and uniform.

The circular reads that all principals and administrators of privately managed schools should strictly comply with the warning, otherwise action will be taken against them. It reads that principals should not force parents and students to purchase uniform, backpacks, books, copies, practical journals and stationery from the school, and that only a list should be issued to students at the time of admission. Dirpis directed principals to collect only the approved fee from students, saying that school administrators should paste the approved fee schedule on the notice boards so that parents and students are aware of the fee schedule.

Schools have also been ordered to issue only monthly fee vouchers to students or collect only monthly fees instead of bimonthly or quarter-monthly. “Do not compel parents to pay money for Mother’s Day, Flower’s Day, Colour Day, Mango Day, Music Day, etc.”

Parents having complaints about school fees or those forced to buy books, stationery or uniform have been advised to get in touch with the complaint cell of Dirpis, along with a photocopy of their CNIC, so that action against the school concerned may be initiated.