Bass Ackwards? :: Khaleej Times

Link: Khaleej Times Online

This whole article seems confused and confusing. But it could just be me and my oldtimers.

Can anyone parse these two paragraphs for me?:

Juma Al Salami, Assistant Under-Secretary for Foreign Private Schools, told this reporter that the confusion is due to a subtle difference in the interpretation of the circular. "The schools are not allowed to conceal the result from students if they did not settle the fees. But they can withhold the certificate until the amounts are settled," he clarified.

The private education bylaw specifies that schools may withhold the final results and refrain from issuing the transfer certificates until the final settlement of financial dues. But schools are not allowed to penalise students whose fee payments are delayed.

All fine up until when the first sentence of the second paragraph appears to contradict the first paragraph. And then the second sentence of the second paragraph appears to contradict the paragraph's first sentence. (Because withholding a certificate blocks the student from transfering.)

In the meantime, some parents walking away without paying fees owed to the schools. Why should they, they reason if their child got the precious transfer certificate?

I hope the schools can at least share information on deadbeat parents. Or is that considered liable?

You goodbeat parent do realize of course that tuition covers the cost of deadbeats. You should be tighter regulations on nonpayment to protect your interests.