LAHORE, Nov 13: The Punjab ombudsman has ordered charging of private schools registration fee in accordance with the Ordinance of 1964 and waived of fines of Rs180 million imposed on account of temporary registration and annual inspection.

Disposing of a complaint filed by the All Pakistan Private Schools Welfare Association, Multan division, the ombudsman has ordered that primary and middle schools should be charged Rs100 for registration instead of Rs5,000 and high schools should be registered on payment of Rs500 instead of Rs7,000 in accordance with the Ordinance of 1964. Temporary registration and annual inspection fee should be abolished and a compliance report should be submitted by November 29.

The complainant had submitted that the orders issued by the Education department on Aug 24, 1998, for the enhancement of registration fee and introduction of temporary registration and annual inspection fee should be declared unlawful as the same were not in accordance with the Ordinance of 1964.