KARACHI: Private schools and colleges across Sindh will observe a complete strike on January 9, following a province-wide call by the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations against the Anti-Corruption Establishment’s (ACE) involvement in school matters.
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The association leaders—including Haider Ali, Shahzad Akhtar, Tariq Shah, Anwar Bhatti, Danish-uz-Zaman, and Nasir Zaidi—addressed a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, raising concerns over ongoing verification operations by ACE. They said such inspections violate the Sindh Private Institutions Act of 2013, under which the Directorate of Private Institutions is the sole regulatory authority.
While the Sindh High Court had directed ACE to verify freeship lists submitted by regional directors, the associations argued that direct school visits by anti-corruption teams were unnecessary and disruptive. They warned that these operations are causing stress among female teachers, young students, and parents, while also harming the reputation of longstanding educational institutions.
The alliance urged Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah to intervene immediately and instruct ACE to carry out verification through the Directorate rather than direct inspections.
The associations also announced a series of protests leading up to the strike. Parents and school administrations in all districts of Sindh will hold demonstrations from January 6 to 8, while schools will observe a “black day” on January 8 ahead of the full shutdown on January 9. A fresh court application is expected to challenge the ongoing ACE verification process.
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The strike highlights growing tensions between private educational institutions and authorities over regulatory oversight, with schools warning that continued interference could disrupt education for millions of children in the province.