KARACHI: The Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations on Tuesday withdrew its call for a strike scheduled for January 9 after receiving assurances from Sindh Education Minister Sardari Ali Shah that their concerns, particularly regarding the verification process of “freeship” students, would be addressed through an improved and transparent mechanism.
Under the freeship policy, private schools in Sindh are legally required to provide free education to 10 per cent of their enrolled students. The alliance had announced the strike in protest against what it described as an unclear and problematic procedure for verifying freeship data, especially the involvement of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in the process.
A delegation of the alliance met the education minister at his office, where the issues were discussed in detail. The meeting was also attended by ACE Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Shah, School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi, Director General Private Schools Muhammad Afzal, and several representatives of private school associations from across the province.
During the meeting, members of the delegation voiced serious reservations about the ongoing verification of freeship student data in private schools. They maintained that there was a clear distinction between investigation and routine data verification, and alleged that, in some areas, school administrations and parents had faced inappropriate treatment under the guise of verification. The delegation stressed that such practices had created anxiety among school managements and families alike.
Responding to the concerns, Education Minister Sardari Ali Shah acknowledged that the grievances raised by the alliance were legitimate. He said the absence of a clearly defined and coordinated verification mechanism had led to misunderstandings and operational difficulties for private schools. The minister assured the delegation that the provincial government respected court directives and was committed to resolving the issue in a manner that safeguarded the interests of all stakeholders.
You May Also Like: Young Girl Killed, Five Relatives Injured as Overhead Water Tank Bursts in Quetta
He further announced that an effective and transparent framework would be devised for the verification of freeship data. According to the minister, the new mechanism would involve coordination between the Anti-Corruption Establishment and the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions, ensuring clarity of roles and procedures.
Consensus was reached during the meeting on establishing a standardised and transparent verification process that would address the concerns of private school administrations and parents, while also ensuring compliance with the freeship policy. It was agreed that no undue hardship or harassment would be tolerated during the verification exercise.
Under the freeship rule, private schools are bound to provide free education to 10 per cent of total enrolled students.https://t.co/iayNd43PrW
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) January 7, 2026
Following the assurances, the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations formally announced the withdrawal of its strike call. The education minister, in turn, appreciated the role of private schools in promoting education across Sindh and expressed hope that continued dialogue would help resolve outstanding issues and strengthen cooperation between the government and the private education sector.
Check out our latest video:
