The Competition Commission of Pakistan has taken formal action against 17 major private schools, issuing them show-cause notices for allegedly forcing students to purchase school-logo notebooks, workbooks, and uniforms. The commission directed the schools to submit a written response within 14 days, following the findings of a detailed inquiry report.
The investigation concluded that these schools are abusing their dominant market position by compelling parents to buy expensive, logo-branded items. The probe also uncovered undisclosed agreements between several schools and specific vendors, restricting competition and choice.
The inquiry revealed extreme price disparities, with logo-branded notebooks costing up to 280 per cent more than identical, non-branded alternatives available in the open market. The CCP initiated the action after receiving written complaints from aggrieved parents.
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The commission’s report highlights a critical power imbalance, noting that once enrolled, students become “captive consumers.” Parents find themselves unable to switch schools due to high re-admission costs and logistical hurdles, leaving them with no choice but to comply with the commercial demands of the school administration.
This practice affects a significant portion of the population, as approximately 50 per cent of students in Pakistan are enrolled in private institutions that operate thousands of campuses across the country. The CCP notes that these mandatory purchasing policies, often framed as “guidelines,” adversely affect millions of students and parents and harm thousands of small stationery and uniform vendors.
The Commission has formally termed this behaviour a violation of the Competition Act, stating that private school systems are misusing their market power to exploit their student body. This action underscores the regulator’s commitment to protecting consumers from anti-competitive practices in the education sector.
