Hyderabad: Parents cry foul as city pvt schools jack up fees

Hyderabad : With less than a month to go before schools reopen, institutions in the twin cities have started their annual premier league of competing to fleece parents. As was the case last year, this year too, the premium charged to parents in the name of a school fee hike stands at 15 to 20 percent, according to parents. Despite repeated pleas falling on deaf ears, parents stated that for the 2024 academic year, the average fees quoted for admission into Class 1 at mid-range schools are around Rs 60,000 to Rs 80,000 per annum. For corporate schools, the annual fees range from over Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, depending on the board it is affiliated with.

Naresh, a parent whose children attend a corporate school in Kukatpally, said, “Two years ago, I admitted my elder son in Class 4, and the fee was Rs 1.5 lakh. This year, when I admitted my younger son in the same grade, the fee had increased by Rs 1 lakh. I was stunned to see such a huge difference. When I inquired with the management, they said that over the past two years, they had added many things like furniture, a Digi class, and more. Another strange thing is that they never provide an official fee receipt; they always write it on a piece of paper with the school stamp on it.”

Sravanti, another parent grappling with exorbitant fees, expressed her growing concern about the affordability of quality education. She said, “There are very few schools that charge fees that are affordable for a middle-class family. In the name of various additional charges, the management imposes huge fees. My daughter studies at a budget school in RK Puram. Last year, the school charged Rs 60,000 for Class 5. This year, as my child is in Class 6, there has been a 20 per cent increase. We face this issue every year. It would be better if the school management offered solutions, such as providing discounts for students who excel academically.”

Rayees Khan, another parent whose son studies in Class 9 at a private school in Abids, said, “There should be a mechanism to control this recurring issue of fee hikes. Every year, the school raises fees by 15 to 20 per cent. Along with tuition fees, we are burdened with additional costs for books, uniforms, and transportation. It is disheartening that schools increase fees without notifying parents. In the last three years, my son’s fees have soared by Rs 1 lakh, an unjustifiable increase given the quality of education they offer.”

Sunil Reddy, a parent with children enrolled in a corporate school in Kukatpally, said, “For Class 3, my daughter’s fee was Rs 80,000, but now for Class 4, it has jumped to Rs 1 lakh, marking a 20 per cent hike. What is baffling is the lack of explanation from management regarding this increase. Interestingly, I discovered that the same school has branches in other areas with different fee structures depending on the location.”