Parents fined for picking up children late at Australian school

A school in Melbourne, Australia, has started fining parents who pick their children up late.

Al Siraat College is an independent Islamic school in in Epping, Victoria.

It told parents of the new policy last month, after noticing a trend for parents leaving their children on school premises long after teaching hours had finished. Schools hours at the institution finish at 3:45pm Monday to Thursday and at 2:30pm on Fridays.

The unlucky parents are now fined $10 (around £5) for every 15 minutes they are late to pick their kids up after school hours, according to the Daily Mail Australia.

READ MORE: School children in Wales are being served bugs for lunch

Leah Hamel, who is Head of Operations at the school, told the publication the policy is for the greater safety of the pupils.

“Child safety is our number one priority which is why we introduced the procedure that parents may receive a late pick up charge if their child/children stay after hours,” she said.

A log book is used to monitor the time students enter and leave the school, in order to correctly fine parents and guardians who are late to pick them up.

While parents are not said to have provided much feedback about the policy, it has had the desired effect, with Hamel claiming it has “significantly reduced” the number of parents picking the children up late.

Al Siraat College did not immediately respond to Yahoo UK’s request for comment.

Last year, a school in the US hit headlines after they introduced a dress code for parents picking children up at the school gates.

James Madison High School in Houston claimed it will turn away parents who show up at the school gates in pyjamas, hair rollers, leggings and other ‘unsuitable’ items of clothing.

READ MORE: Single mum calls for ban on ‘extortionate’ £200 school uniform costs

“Pyjamas of any kind will not be permitted in the building along with house shoes and any other attire that could possibly be pyjamas, underwear, or home setting wear such as flannel pyjamas,” head teacher Carlotta Outley Brown said in a letter to parents dated April 9.