SCHOOL FEES FORCE YOUNG COUPLES TO THINK A SINGLE CHILD

 by: Bharat Ratna

• Annual fees including all other expenses for schooling has been increased significantly from Rs.25,000 in the year of 2000 to Rs.65000 in 2008

• Many Parents complained that Private Schools are working like commercial organizations which not at all justified

• Increase in school fees forcing the young couples to go for only single child

• Over 30 million children are now educated in private schools and the fees usually rising well above inflation.

ASSOCHAM surveyed on “Rising School Expenses vis-a –vis Dilemma Of Young Parents” and highlight that as school expenses excluding tution fees have risen from Rs. 25,000 in 2000 to Rs.65,000 per annum in 2008 and that too on a single child.

Nearly 2000 working parents were interviewed in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Dehradun, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Chandigarh etc by the ASSOCHAM research team in months of April-May 2008 in a random survey, in which it also came to limelight that 9 out of 10 parents find meeting their ward’s school cost ‘very’ difficult.

Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) found that the rising school expenses are forcing young parents in India to have only one child. The average tuition fee for a child at Private Schools in large cities to be around Rs.35,000 annually.

In India, more than 30 million children are now educated in private schools. And their parents are being bled financially

Shoes cost parents 4,000 -5,000 per child per year. Footwear works out as being more expensive than textbooks. Branded footwear like Nike, Addidas, Rebook have taken place in today’s world.  Schools are more conscious about the branded outfits.

Mr D.S. Rawat, Secretary, ASSOCHAM said that nearly one in 10 respondents indicated that the cost associated with schooling has actually affected even their choice of school. There is a significant burden on family budget and take home pay. More than half of metropolitan parents, who send their children to private schools say the cost of education is a strain on families. Nearly, 60 per cent parents, however, complained that education is now being run like a commercial business enterprise.

There is no justification for the services offered by the schools and the erratic fee hike effected each year by management of schools."

Other expenses like uniforms, books, stationery, transport, sports activities, school trips, contributions to upgrade schools, school aids etc would be many times higher than school fees.

AVERAGE EXPENSES FOR ONE PARENT IN THE YEAR 2008