The Sindh government has made prior approval mandatory for fee hike at any public university, aiming to protect students from rising educational costs and unapproved financial burdens.
Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahu announced that no public university will be allowed to increase tuition or other charges without explicit consent from provincial authorities.
He said the policy was introduced after growing concerns over affordability in higher education and the tendency of universities to raise fees independently.
Rahu explained that the Sindh public universities fee hike issue emerged due to shrinking federal grants, which have left many public institutions facing severe financial strain.
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The Sindh government, he added, has been offering supplementary grants to help sustain operations, but some universities still resorted to fee increases to manage rising expenditures.
Rahu emphasized that the provincial administration is committed to supporting both students and the education sector, calling education a core pillar of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s welfare agenda, along with health and social development.
He also revealed that the government is reviewing a new grading system for classes 9 to 12. Feedback from education boards has been gathered, and implementation will follow once technical revisions are finalized.
Officials said the move reflects Sindh’s broader strategy to make education more equitable and transparent, ensuring that financial challenges do not limit access to public higher learning institutions.
