By Musarrat Arif
KARACHI: Private schools in Sindh have withdrawn plans for a strike scheduled for 9 January after a meeting with the provincial education minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, addressing their concerns over data verification processes for student scholarships.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Establishment Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Secretary of School Education Zahid Ali Abbasi, and other senior officials, focused on resolving disputes surrounding the verification of free‑ship data for students across the province.
Private school leaders had raised concerns over the method and oversight of the verification process conducted through the Anti-Corruption Establishment, highlighting difficulties faced by school administrations in complying with unclear procedures.
Minister Shah acknowledged the concerns and assured the delegation that a coordinated verification mechanism would be implemented, taking into account the interests of schools, parents, and students alike. He also praised the positive role of private educational institutions in Sindh’s academic landscape.
He further assured that the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions would oversee the data verification process, aiming to resolve outstanding issues without causing disruptions for school administrators.
Following the assurances, the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations agreed to halt the planned strike, welcoming the minister’s commitment to address sectoral challenges and ensure smooth operations across Sindh’s private education system.
