Al-Fajr Academy fined Rs5 million for charging illegal fees

KARACHI: The Directorate of Private Institutions Sindh has levied a heavy fine of Rs5 million on Al-Fajr Academy for receiving  illegal fees from students parents.

The development comes in response to a complaint filed by a parent, Zohaib Yousufi, who had accused the school of ncreasing tuition fees without approval and demanding advance payments, apart from charging arbitrary amounts for stationery, supplies, and other activities. 

Subsequently, an investigation was initiated, and a team of monitoring and inspection officers visited the school on November 27, 2024, which revealed that the school was collecting fees in illegitimate forms in the name of charges for stationery, school bags, courses, and field trips.

A five-member inquiry committee that was established under Rule 18 of the Sindh Private Educational Institutions Rules 2005, consequently confirmed these violations and found the school receiving tuition fees at Rs 35,000 every month, far  exceeding the approved Rs 28,150. 

They also received fees for books, bags, field trips and even a “parent training fee”. The order will have the school refund to parents the overcharged amounts. That is a big win for parents who have been struggling with an extra financial burden.

This is after a notification by the Sindh government that all such fees, except admission and tuition charged monthly,  henceforth carry illegal connotations tagged to them.

It has said that it will now take strict action against schools that try to flout these rules, indeed a silver lining for stressed parents who get coerced into unnecessary payments.