Parents protest exorbitant fee in corporate schools

As June arrives, the poor and middle-class families brace themselves for the daunting task of paying school fees. The start of the school year brings significant financial stress with parents growing increasingly worried. Enrolling a four-year-old in lower kindergarten (LKG) now costs around Rs 25,000 in admission fees. When factoring in additional expenses like donations, building funds, registration fees, admission fees, transport, uniforms, books, and stationery, the total cost exceeds Rs. 50,000.
As children progress to higher classes, these fees escalate with families spending over Rs. 1 lakh for a tenth-grade education. The commercialisation of education by corporate schools continues unchecked, placing immense pressure on parents. Each June, families allocate nearly 59 per cent of their income to pay school fees, which rise by more than 10 percent annually.
Corporate schools charge Rs 25,000 for LKG and demand at least Rs 50,000 from sixth grade onwards. Consequently, many parents belonging to poor and middle-class families are forced to spend half their monthly income on school fees. As schools prepare to reopen on the June 12 of this month, many middle-class families are already seeking loans to cover these expenses.
Beyond tuition, private and corporate schools impose additional costs for uniforms, diaries, ties, belts, and shoes. This mounting financial strain has led to calls for government intervention to regulate these fees. Despite the existence of parent committees in schools, managements often manipulate these bodies by appointing members who support their action and bypassing proper consultations before effecting fee hikes. It is yet to be seen whether the government will lend it ears to the pleas being made by parents times and again.