Sindh Education Department has declared illegal the practice of Cambridge-affiliated schools forcing students to sit exams as private candidates or canceling enrollments.
The Sindh Education Department has moved to protect Cambridge system students from unfair treatment by private schools, declaring it illegal to cancel enrollments or force students to appear in examinations as private candidates without valid reason. The decision follows a series of complaints about schools misusing internal policies in ways that damage students’ academic progress and mental well-being.
Complaints Against Cambridge-Affiliated Private Schools
In a circular issued by the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh, Additional Registrar Professor Rafia Mallah confirmed that the department had received multiple complaints through the British Council Pakistan. The complaints related to private schools affiliated with Cambridge International examinations, where students were allegedly prevented from sitting exams as regular candidates. In many cases, schools cited poor attendance or weak performance in internal assessments to justify their decisions, even though students had attended classes and paid full academic fees throughout the year.
Practices Declared Illegal Under Sindh Rules
The circular clearly states that such practices are not only unfair but also illegal. Under the Sindh Private Educational Institutions Regulation and Control Rules, 2005, no private school is allowed to introduce or enforce admission or continuation policies without prior approval from the directorate. Any policy brought in without this formal approval has no legal standing. This means that schools cannot unilaterally decide to downgrade regular students to private candidate status, cancel their enrollment or block them from appearing in examinations under the school’s name on the basis of internal policies alone.
Responsibility Placed on School Administrations
The Sindh Education Department has also made it clear that responsibility for weak academic performance lies with school administrations and teaching staff rather than students. The circular notes that schools are duty-bound to provide proper classroom instruction, regular academic monitoring and timely remedial support where needed. Instead of punishing students by pushing them out of the regular examination stream, schools are expected to work with parents and learners to help them improve. The department warned that shifting blame onto students while continuing to charge full fees is unacceptable and contrary to both educational ethics and regulatory standards.
Warning of Action for Non-Compliance
The directorate has instructed all private schools affiliated with the Cambridge system to immediately stop forcing students to appear as private candidates or canceling their enrollments without lawful justification. The circular warns that any institution found violating these directions will face action under the relevant laws and regulations. For students and parents, the move provides a measure of relief and clarity, as it confirms that schools cannot hide behind vague internal rules to make last-minute decisions about exam registration status.
The latest step by the Sindh Education Department is part of a wider push to improve governance and accountability in the private education sector. By reinforcing that student rights come first and that school policies must comply with approved regulations, the government aims to reduce arbitrary decisions that create academic and psychological pressure. For Cambridge students across Sindh, the message is clear: schools must support their learning journey instead of creating barriers at the final stage of examinations.
