Primary schools turn costlier

Annual fees charged by private schools more than MBA course fees

Primary education has become so costly that the annual fee charged by private schools for preprimary (PP) I and II classes and primary school up to Class 5 is higher than pursuing an MBA course in the city.

Parents are getting increasingly furious at the annual fee hike, which they say is ‘not proportionate to the standard’ of education their wards receive.

Meanwhile, private school principals maintain that graduation courses do not need much attention as “students just have to come, attend classes and go” whereas school education mandates a lot of individual attention and numerous extra-curricular activities. Hence, a higher fee, they say.

The annual fee for preschool and PP I and II in private institutions are in the range of `30,000 to `2 lakh. The annual fee for primary education for classes up to fifth standard is between `40,000 and `5 lakh. On top of this, the fee increases by 10 to 15 per cent every year.

When it comes to graduation and MBA courses in

● private colleges, the starting fee for two semesters is `40,000 and goes up to `2 lakh. The annual fee for an MBA course is around `85,000.

Private school managements point out that special teachers are also required for skill training programmes for preschool to Class 5 students.

A director of an international school in the city said that snacks, skill development courses, helpers to take care of students, toys to keep them engaged, and teachers to handle activitybased learning, and other such aspects require money.

“Costs of fuel, food and clothes have gone up. Teachers are not willing to work without a salary hike of 20 to 30 per cent due to livelihood loss during Covid. How will we pay them if we do not hike fees, our main source of revenue? Professionally qualified teachers, whom we hire for each course, demand hefty salaries," said another principal of a private school.

However, parents lament this ‘unjustified’ fee structure.

“The money charged in the name of children’s development and professional classes and good quality education is not reflected. Students are only learning English. The fee increases every year arbitrarily. In fact, I have also paid for online swimming classes during Covid,” rued a parent.

A DIRECTOR of an international school in the city said that snacks, skill development courses, helpers to take care of students, toys to keep them engaged, and teachers to handle activity-based learning, and other such aspects require money.