The Sindh Education and Literacy Department has lifted the ban on the registration of private educational institutions and set new standards for the process.
According to the new regulations, for primary elementary schools in suburban and rural areas, the building should be on a minimum of 200 square yards of land with at least 10 rooms.
For the secondary and higher secondary schools in suburban areas, the plot size should be at least 400 square yards and for those in urban areas, minimum requirement of the plot size is 600 square yards with at least 15 rooms in the building.
In addition, the approved building plan should include essential facilities such as science and computer labs, libraries with sufficient number of books, a canteen, clean drinking water, hygienic environment, proper restroom facilities, and CCTV surveillance. Meanwhile, All Private Schools Management Association (APSMA), Sindh, Central Chairman Syed Tariq Shah has rejected the new standards for the registration of private schools.
Talking to The Express Tribune, he said that stakeholders should have been included in the decision-making process. The new rules have been established without seeking our viewpoint. In this regard, we could have informed them of ground realities that make it impossible to implement the specified standards.
In many areas, there are no plots bigger than 80 to 120 square yards, and even 400-square-yard plots are not available. If they exist, we are ready to relocate schools. In the entire region, the Sindh Building Authority's master plan does not include any plot cuts of 200 square yards either. The department should have held the meeting with us to discuss or seek our opinion. "We reject this entire process and want a meeting to discuss before announcing the new rules."
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2023.
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