GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE: Parents' concern is the increasing expenditure for children's education, as schools raise fee levels to meet rising expenditure. — FILE PHOTO

CHENNAI: This is that time of the year when parents feel the pinch in their purse, while meeting costs incurred on the forthcoming academic year.

Whether it is shifting their wards to other schools or simply meeting revised fee structures of their schools, a perception of education having become expensive seems to emerge.

This year most parents say many of the schools have upped the tuition fee by Rs.500 a term to about Rs.2,000 a year. This does not count the charges hiked for school bus or van. However, schools say their fee structures are justifiable.

School authorities say they need to pay their teachers on a par with the industry pay packages to retain good teaching talent, which is fundamental to the reputation and growth of a school.

"Almost 95 per cent of our income is used to pay our teaching and non-teaching staff. Only the remaining 5 per cent is used for maintenance and other purposes," says Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy, dean of Padma Seshadri group of schools.

"More and more IT companies and publishing houses are roping in teachers due to their sound academic background and good communication skills. Although we can't pay teachers as well as these companies may, we have to certainly pay them well," she says.

"A cinema ticket costs Rs.150-200, a pizza costs Rs. 180, the prices of many commodities have gone up several times, but why do we question the rise in fees? Cost of living has gone up, not cost of education alone," she says, adding, "Most schools provide scholarships to deserving students."

S. Bhavani Shankar, principal of Chettinad Vidyashram, feels schools in Chennai charge much less when compared with those in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkota, Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore.

"It is important that the services and facilities provided match the amount charged," he says, adding, "Every school has its own way of drawing fee structure. The quality of facilities such as computer labs, playground, library and swimming pool should be taken into consideration."

Mr. Shankar also said there was no major fee revision this academic year.

CBSE norms

According to affiliation norms laid down by the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), unaided schools should consult parents through parents' representatives before revising the fees and the fee should not be revised during the mid session. It also states that the fees should be commensurate with the facilities provided by the institution.

As for Matriculation schools, the Chittibabu Commission circulated a set of guidelines for framing fee structures among schools following the board.

New syllabus

According to N. Vijayan, principal of Zion Matriculation in Tambaram, "The new syllabus is challenging. We need to pay teachers well. Only then can we retain good teachers, who can handle the syllabus efficiently."

Mahima Gurtu shifted her child from Harrington House to Sherwood Hall Senior Secondary School due to the "exorbitant" fee structure.

"The school was good, no doubt, but I found Rs. 4,500 per term for a primary school student a little too expensive," she says.

Another parent, who sends her children to a leading CBSE school in Mylapore thinks their fee structure is very reasonable.

However, she feels the facilities could be better.

"The toilets and play area can be much better. I also wish they gave more importance to sports," she says (on condition of anonymity).

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