Sindh fails to release exam fee funds to boards

Govt had promised to waive enrolment, exam fees for public school students

KARACHI: Despite the Sindh government’s earlier announcement to waive enrolment and exam fees for public school students, the finance ministry has failed to release the funds to secondary and intermediate boards in the province.

The chairpersons of the secondary and intermediate boards told The Express Tribune that the required funds of Rs2 billion have not been released yet to any boards, despite the start of the new school year on August 1.

Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) Chairperson Professor Dr Saeeduddin remarked that the enrolment of students started on August 1 and will continue till September 30. However, he said those students who to fail to register themselves will be charged a late fee, whether they are enrolled in government or private schools.

According to him, the boards generate their funds from charging an enrolment fee of Rs500 and examination fee of around Rs980, as they do not receive any government aid or support. He said that they are totally dependent on the amount that the government promised to reimburse them. “BSEK needs Rs170 million from the government in order to waive the fees of students enrolled at government schools,” added Dr Saeeduddin.



According to the chairperson of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK), Professor Inam Ahmed, the funds have not been released by the finance ministry yet. He said the intermediate and secondary boards of Sindh sent a joint proposal of almost Rs2 billion, of which Rs1 billion has been approved by the finance ministry. They were assured by the secretary to chief minister for boards and universities, Muhammad Hussain Syed, during a meeting held on September 20 with all the chairpersons that they would receive the funds.

Currently, the orders of the government are being implemented but if the boards do not get the funds by the end of this month, there could be a financial crisis since the amount collected as enrolment fee helps run the intermediate boards, said Prof Ahmed. The situation would further deteriorate when the students try to enrol themselves for the examinations, he added.  According to him, Rs600 million would be the total amount required to run BIEK.

The notification issued on April 20 by School Education Department Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili read that the chief minister ordered that the school education department would bear all the expenses relating to the registration, enrolment and annual examination fees for all students from classes nine to 12 enrolled in public sector educational institutions in the province.

In his budget speech, CM Murad Ali Shah had said that an amount of Rs1 billion has been allocated for fee registration and board examinations at all levels for students of public sector institutions. This intervention will serve as an incentive for students to appear in board exams and will also improve the enrolment rate at public sector institutions, he had said.



The Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad Circuit Bench had also passed an order to the secretary of colleges and representatives of schools, contending that no examination fee is prescribed up to intermediate level and complete education is free as per Article 37 of the Constitution, including exam, enrolment, mark-sheet and other fees.

The court also ordered that the state has to compel the students to study, questioning how students could be compelled to study when they are asked to pay for their education. The court also ordered that no fees shall be charged for the issuance of mark-sheets for the first time.

Despite repeated attempts, the secretary of boards and universities and finance secretary were not available for comments.

The chief minister, however, expressed dismay over the delay in releasing the funds and ordered an inquiry into the matter. According to the CM’s spokesperson, the funds have been released and action will be taken against those who have created stumbling blocks in this regard. “The chief minister has ordered the secretary of boards and universities to look into the matter and report back to him,” he said, adding that those students who have paid the enrolment fee so far will be reimbursed.