For ‘illegal’ fees, a private school was fined Rs 5 million.

For ‘illegal’ fees, a private school was fined Rs 5 million.

For charging unlawful fees, Al-Fajr Academy was fined Rs5 million by the Directorate of Private Institutions Sindh, which also ordered the school to reimburse parents for the excess payments.

The move came after a parent named Zohaib Yousufi filed a complaint, alleging that the school had raised tuition without permission, demanded upfront payments, and imposed arbitrary costs for supplies, stationery, and other activities.

Rafia Mallah, the Additional Director, sent a warning letter to Al-Fajr Academy in this regard. In which the school’s head was informed that on November 27, 2024, a team of monitoring and inspection officers visited Al-Fajr Academy and discovered that the institution was unlawfully collecting fees from pupils in a number of ways.

Stationery, school bags, other classes and field trips were all subject to additional expenses.

According to her, the violations were verified by an investigative committee established in accordance with Rule 18 of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions Rules 2005. It was discovered that the school’s monthly tuition costs exceeded the permitted Rs 28,150 by charging Rs 35,000. A “parent training fee” as well as extra costs for books, bags and field excursions were noted.