Sindh University agrees to students’ demands

Pupils were demonstrating against a 30% fee hike

HYDRABAD:

The Sindh University has partially accepted the demand of the students who resorted to protests against the 30% fee rise. The varsity issued a circular on Friday, stating that the hike in annual admission fee had been slashed by 50% for the students of 2017 to 2019 batches who were enrolled in the general merit, self-finance and evening shift categories.

The varsity said this was applicable to all except the final year students who will get a refund. The fee of the rest of the batches will be adjusted in case the students have already paid the increased fee. The last date for payment of the fee has been increased to July 3.

The protesting students, however, have rejected the reduction. The Sindhi Shagird Tehreek, which organised a rally in Hyderabad on Saturday. They walked from Gul Centre to the Hyderabad Press Club, and demanded the old fee should be restored.

"We have been deprived of our fundamental right to education which is enshrined in the constitution" said Pardeep Gulab, the tehreek's president.

The protesters said a majority of the SU students belong to the poor class and that their parents have already been hit hard by the prevailing inflation which has made it difficult for them to pay for their educational expenses. "We warn the Sindh government and the university administration to revoke the decision of increasing the fee or we will take recourse to province-wide demonstrations," said Kainat Dahiri.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2021.