KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the management of private schools to restore the students expelled over non-payment of dues that were increased sharply, and ordered to accept the students’ examination forms.
A division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing a petition filed by the parents of the children studying in private schools. The parents moved the court against the management of the schools for increasing the fee more than five percent in violation of the rules and regulations.
The court expressed displeasure when it was informed that some students were expelled from the schools when their guardians refused to pay the exorbitant dues. The administration of the school also did not accept the examination forms of the students, the lawyer said.
“How can students be expelled when the court has already stayed the fee increment,” the judges remarked.
However, the counsel repressing the private schools denied the claims and said there must be some misunderstanding as no student was expelled.
Directing the schools’ management to restore the expelled students to their original position against the payment of the normal tuition fee that was being received before the enhancement, the court ordered it to also accept the examination forms of the students.
The bench also extended its interim order that restrained private schools from raising their fee more than five percent until February 15.
Earlier, the petitioners had submitted that the school management cannot increase the fee more than five percent in an academic year as per the rules, however, some private schools had increased the fee more than 10 percent.
They had prayed the court to direct the concerned authorities to restrain the school management from increasing the fee and to follow the rules and regulations.
