Mangaluru: Private schools across undivided Dakshina Kannada, including institutions affiliated to the unaided state, CBSE and ICSE boards, have introduced a significant fee hike for the current academic year, drawing concern from parents already burdened by inflation.According to parents, the increase ranges from Rs 3,500 to as much as Rs 10,000 per student, depending on the school and grade. School management said the revision, estimated between 8% and 15%, has become necessary due to rising operational costs such as higher staff salaries, increased electricity tariffs and inflation.A parent whose child studies in lower primary school at a CBSE school near Kodialbail said the annual fee went up from around Rs 46,000 last year to Rs 52,000 this year. The parent said the increase was much higher than in previous years, when the hike was usually between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000, and added that the previous academic year also saw a notable rise.Another parent of ICSE school student said the fee increased by about Rs 3,500 compared to the previous academic year. Some parents said their schools followed a fixed annual percentage increase. A parent of a child studying at an ICSE school near Surathkal said the school was following a 5% hike every year, while another parent said their school raised fees by 8% to 10%.Parents said the increase in tuition fees comes on top of other expenses such as transport, uniforms and books. Monthly transport charges alone are expected to rise and currently range between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500. Schools, however, maintained that the fee revision was unavoidable. Rev Fr Rohan D’Almeida, principal of St Aloysius Gonzaga School, said a major share of the fee collected goes towards teachers’ salaries, with the remaining amount spent on maintenance,and other school programmes. He said schools are under pressure to offer competitive salaries to teachers based on their qualifications and experience.Many schools continue to offer instalment payment options. Depending on the institution, parents can pay fees in two to four instalments during the year.A head of a CBSE school, who did not wish to be named, said the instalment system became essential for financially weaker families, single parents and those who recently lost jobs. The official said this year several parents working in Gulf countries, with children studying in Mangaluru or Udupi, sought not only instalment facilities but also fee concessions, citing job and income losses linked to the West Asia conflict.School managements also said since there are objections to schools directly selling books and stationery, some institutions now invite vendors to campus so that parents can purchase these items directly.
