Probe into Mumbra school’s fee hike

The petition filed against the school by a Mumbra-based journalist Mohammed Yusuf Khatri alleged that the school was charging fees in violation of the fee structure stipulated for aided and unaided schools by the State Education Department. As per the government resolution, the girl students are exempted from fees upto Standard XII.

Moreover, the school is not supposed to charge any fee other than monthly fee and exam fees. However, the Mumbra school charged Rs 250 per month per student which included term fees, computer education fees and miscellaneous fees.

When a parent Aslam Malin whose ward was studying in the school urged the Principal Saeeda Contractor not to violate thestate government’s guidelines, the principal allegedly threatened to spoil the progress report of the petitioner’s ward if he continued to `teach’ her government’s regulations. The petitioner also pointed out that the school was not supposed to charge computer education fees. However, even this request was not granted.

Another petitioner Umme Ali Asgar Kanchwala similarly complained against the fee structure, the school principal allegedly slapped the petitioner’s child. After repeated attempts to convince the principal, the petitioners approached the State Education Officers and Deputy Director of Education. A complaint was also registered at Mumbra police station. When the education department ignored to any of these representations the aggrieved parents moved the high court.