Wait, what? Parents react to ₹4L school fee for LKG

Hyderabad: Throwing light on the alarming rise in school fees, a recent post on social media by a parent revealed that a school had implemented a staggering 65% hike in fees for a four-year-old child transitioning from nursery to LKG. Speaking to TOI, the parent disclosed that the hike was at a prominent school in Bachupally, where fees surged from 2.3 lakh in 2023 to 3.7 lakh in 2024 academic year, as the child was set to join LKG in April.As per the parents, the school administration justified the increase, citing the shift to an IB curriculum, which they claimed was non-negotiable.“When we enrolled our son, we expected the fee structure to remain relatively stable until he reached grade 1. However, the leap from Nursery to LKG placed him in a new fee bracket, almost 70% higher,” said the child’s parent, on condition of anonymity.Ironically, the parents noted that their elder son, currently in class 4 at the same school, pays 3.2 lakh, just 50,000 less than the new fee for the younger child in LKG. “Financially, this will be quite burdensome for us. We are now contemplating changing his school, which presents another challenge of finding admission on short notice,” they added.The social media post sparked widespread concern among other parents, many of whom echoed similar apprehensions. While the average yearly fee hike for most schools this academic year has been around 10%-12%, with base rates running into lakhs, the overall cost of education has once again escalated.“Parents are reluctant to spend lakhs on pre-primary education, but due to the scarcity of admissions in classes 1 and above, particularly in IB and Cambridge schools, they are compelled to enrol their children from LKG onwards, resulting in exorbitant fees,” said another parent.Despite the availability of more economical options in CBSE schools, parents argue that the fees charged are often unreasonable. “In my search for a school for my son to join class 1 this year, I visited 7-10 schools in Kukatpally. Fees ranged around 4 lakh, with the lowest being 1 lakh. The differentiating factor the schools claim was infrastructure, but for me, academics and extracurricular activities should be the primary focus for junior classes, and such costs should not exceed a lakh,” said Peeyush Jaroli, a software engineer.However, administrators of schools in the city defend the fee hikes as necessary. “Most schools have increased fees by 8%-10% this year. This adjustment is warranted due to the rising market rates for teacher salaries. We must offer competitive salaries to retain experienced staff, especially with the proliferation of schools, to prevent a talent drain. Human resources constitute the largest portion of the fee hike,” said Sunir Nagi, a principal of a city school and treasurer of Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex (HSSC), an association of CBSE schools in the city.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword. Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes, messages, and quotes.