Approximately 120% fees hike have been observed for kindergartens between 2005 to 2010 which on an average went up from Rs. 1500/- per month to over 3500/- per month in a schools with tag of brands in all metros and bigger cities which include Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, chandigarh, Pune, Dehradun, Kolkata and Lucknow, according to a country wide survey conducted under ages of ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF).
The fees hike not only for tiny tots have been abnormally higher but the caution money which is taken under the garb of security deposit have gone up from 10,000/- in 2005 to over 25,000/-Rs. In beginning academic session of 2010, adds the finding of survey.
The schools that run kindergartens are all branded and charge such an extra ordinary amount without having a sense of regret or else remorse for which parents of tiny tots continue to sweat to generate the required amount in the hope of better education for their children. Authorities especially in the state level have yet to take note of this unfortunate growing trend as no regulatory measures seem to be in the offing and the trend will multiply, reveals the survey
The paper also explains that branded pre-schools are still a very metro-centric phenomenon and parents of upper- and upper middle-class families know the importance of sending their children to pre-school.
Most of branded school enrolls around 15,000 to 20,000 children annually, driving this growth are several social factors, like the increasing number of double income nuclear families who desire to enroll their kids in the best of schools and fear losing out on the rat race.
Booming population, rapid urbanisation, working couples, nuclear families and higher disposable incomes have all contributed to the rise of such upmarket play schools. As the family size has reduced in urban India, parents want the best for their children.
The on an average fees of play school of Rs 3,000 per month for two-three hour in addition to a non-refundable admission fee of Rs. 15,000 to Rs 25,000. It also provides day boarding for children of working parents. As this is a service industry, these play school expects a turnover of a little above Rs 6-15 crore every year.
The high fees pinch middle class households. It’s a rude awakening, but most parents are slowly realising that they have to start doling out huge sums of money as soon as their child starts crawling.
SOURCE: Times Of India Newspaper Article , Dated 13/8/2010
No comments:
Post a Comment