All private schools and colleges across Sindh will remain closed on January 9 after the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations announced a complete strike to protest the involvement of the Anti-Corruption Establishment in the affairs of private educational institutions. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, where association leaders expressed serious concerns over ongoing verification operations conducted by anti-corruption teams in schools.
Representatives of the alliance said private educational institutions across Sindh are facing mounting difficulties due to what they described as unwarranted inspections by the Anti-Corruption Establishment. They demanded that the Sindh government implement an existing court decision that, according to them, restricts direct anti-corruption operations within schools. The speakers stressed that education is a fundamental need, yet millions of children in Sindh remain out of school, adding that private institutions are playing a vital role by providing education to a large number of students despite limited resources and charging what they termed reasonable fees.
The alliance stated that many private schools also offer fee waivers to underprivileged students as part of their social responsibility. They referred to a Sindh High Court decision dated December 8, 2025, under which the Anti-Corruption Establishment was tasked with verifying freeship lists submitted by regional directors. However, they said that anti-corruption teams subsequently began direct inspections of schools, which they argued violates the Sindh Private Institutions Act of 2013. Under this law, they maintained, the Directorate of Private Institutions is the sole authorized body to regulate and oversee such matters.
Concerns were also raised about the impact of these inspections on teachers, students and parents. The alliance highlighted that the presence of armed personnel in schools has created fear, stress and anxiety, particularly among female teachers and young children. They said parents are being subjected to unnecessary questioning and demands for information, despite schools having already submitted complete records and undertakings to relevant authorities. According to the speakers, these actions are damaging the reputation of well-established educational institutions and welfare organizations that have served the public for decades under challenging conditions.
The alliance leaders emphasized that any individual irregularity should not be used to target the entire private education sector. They urged Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah to intervene immediately, instructing the Anti-Corruption Establishment to adopt a respectful and lawful approach by conducting verification through the Directorate of Private Institutions and avoiding direct school visits.
Outlining their next steps, the speakers announced plans to file a fresh petition in court seeking a halt to the ongoing verification process by the Anti-Corruption Establishment. They also shared a schedule of protests, stating that parents and school administrations across Sindh will stage demonstrations from January 6 to 8, observe a black day on January 8, and enforce a complete shutdown of private schools and colleges across the province on January 9.
