Private educational institutions have once again come under scrutiny for compelling parents to purchase overpriced school-branded notebooks and uniforms.

An inquiry by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has confirmed monopolistic practices by several major private school systems, revealing serious violations of competition laws.

According to the inquiry report, notebooks carrying school logos were found to be up to 280% more expensive than similar items available in the open market. Students were also pressured into purchasing school-branded uniforms only from designated vendors.

Investigators discovered that many private schools had secret agreements with specific suppliers, limiting parents’ ability to choose affordable alternatives. Once children were enrolled, parents effectively became ‘captive consumers’ forced to buy costly items under the guise of school guidelines.

In response, the Competition Commission has issued show-cause notices to 17 major private school systems, directing them to submit written replies within 14 days. The Commission noted that these practices constitute conditional selling, which is a clear violation of the Competition Act.

In a separate development, the commission reported that private schools have refused to share their fee structure and related data, further raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

The CCP has warned that each private school involved in these violations could face penalties of up to Rs75 million.