Dhaka: Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Wednesday asked the authorities of the schools that took extra fees for Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations to return the money taken beyond the officially fixed amount, reports local news agency.

The education minister was addressing a news briefing at his ministry in the morning.

Nahid warned the managements of the schools to go by the order in line with the previous High Court ruling and the directive from the Prime Minister’s Office.

He said: ‘Such schools would face legal actions as many of them have reportedly failed to return the money to students.’

The minister added, ‘The education ministry has asked all the education boards to prepare lists of the schools that failed to pay heed to the directive.’

He also asked to submit the lists to the ministry within seven days.

Nahid said, ‘Tuition fees, season fees and admission fees will be fixed for the next academic year following discussion with the school authorities after completing the procedures.’

The minister also asked the education boards to take due actions against the schools that took extra fees from students.

Earlier, on 6 November, 2015, a High Court bench comprising Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman asked all the education boards to take actions against the educational institutes that realised extra fees from the SSC candidates, beyond the fixed board fees.

In its order, the court asked the head teachers and heads of the governing bodies concerned to return the extra examination fees they had received beyond the amount set by the government on 20 January, 2016.

On 6 January, 2015, the HC issued a rule asking the head teachers and governing bodies of 20 schools in the city to return the extra fees they had taken from SSC candidates.