Education, Careers & Professional News
Paying for admissions
Source
DH EDUCATION
Date
2005-06-21
Information
By whatever name it is called, donations have come to play a dubious role in the admission process in schools and colleges and in blowing a hole in the common mans pocket.
The glorious sun, joyous vacations and a much needed break – thats summer for most people.
Frantic trips to the offices of schools and colleges, the realisation that education is turning unaffordable, the battle between the report card and the bank balance – thats summer for the harried parent.
Its time for schools and colleges to turn into monsters with an insatiable appetite for money. The euphemisms for this term are many – Maintenance fee, admission charges, school fund. The common man recognises the word donation better.
The parents of Akash, a 5 year old, paid Rs.75, 000 to get admitted into Std 1. His parents say that his performance in the entrance test did not play any role in his admission procedure.
Joshua returned from the United States of America in February and sought admission for Grade 8, in one of the well-known schools in Bangalore. His excellent scores meant nothing. The school demanded an unbelievable sum of Rs. 2 lakh. Joshua and his parents walked out, not because they couldnt afford it, but because they did not believe that education in such an institution was worth paying for.
Maya passed her ICSE exams with a 57 per cent. She was granted a seat with a science combination while students with a 90 per cent were denied admission. The reason – she bought her seat for Rs. 45,000.
The stories are many. Names of students and institutions cannot be mentioned for obvious reasons. The donation process is one that we indulge in at one end and condemn at the other. For after all, we can afford to. What happens to the less fortunate?
They cant do without it. They cant afford it either. How do they go about obtaining an education then?
Schools and colleges today with the exception of a handful are players in the moneymaking game. Apart from an annual fee that totals up to Rs. 25-30,000, parents are expected to give donations - amounts that range from Rs.20,000 to Rs. 5lakh.
Are the schools justified in demanding such amounts? Says Dr Mrs Stella Samuel, Principal of the Bishop Cotton Girls High School, a leading school in the city, Yes, we take donations and we are completely justified in doing so. The school fees that we receive is used for teachers salaries, maintenance and upkeep of the school. It is through donations that new facilities and structures can be added to our institution. Apart from these needs, the school also offers free education to teachers children and the children of priests belonging to the CSI Diocese. Donation is not taken and concession in fees is offered to every child from the CSI Diocese. Given these conditions, cant we take a donation of Rs. 5000 or Rs. 25,000 from students who can afford it? she asks.
Does Dr Stella Samuel have a point? Can one afford to sympathise with and believe in the existing conditions that schools have to face?
There is no doubt that the business of running schools is an expensive one. So the need for money is understandable, but the demand for unacceptable sums is increasing. When asked if schools can function successfully without donations, most people said yes. Said Marie from the Bangalore International School, We dont take donations and we believe that good schools can run without them. The amount of money taken as fees should suffice. Mrs Nicodemus, Principal, Goodwill Girls High School says, We arent even allowed to use the word donation in our school.A realistic look at the situation however throws up more truths than we can digest. Mrs Ananya whose child studies at The Valley School says, International schools do not take donations and obviously they dont need to. With an annual fee that crosses a lakh per student, they operate on a rather lavish budget. In contrast, the principals of schools who charge a fee of Rs. 20,000 per annum offer solutions, Allow us to hike our fees and we will not ask for donations!
What would parents prefer then? They are almost forced into accepting these conditions simply because they cannot deny their child an education. If it comes with a bitter pill, they have no choice but to take it. Will this attitude just worsen the situation? An angry Mr Keshav says, The reason schools dare to keep increasing these amounts is because parents give in without a fight. As soon as they realise Im an NRI, its reason enough to ask for more.
At the end of the day, one question is on our minds. Where does all the money go? Can parents honestly believe that donations are directed towards the betterment of the school or is someones hard-earned money used to grease the hands of school authorities? The principal of Bishop Cotton Girls High School states, The money definitely goes towards improving the schools. Parents are asked to pay at the bank and even receive a receipt for the amount. The practice of taking donations isnt a new one. Once considered to take place under the table, it has now surfaced, almost becoming a necessity for most educational institutions. Will this however mean that meritorious students who cannot afford to pay have to forego their schooling? Will this mean that the three Rs will become the privilege of the rich? How long till these questions are answered?
YOUR RESPONSE
All of us at one time or the other have confronted the scourge of donations. Are schools and colleges justified in accepting money for admissions? If so, what is a reasonably acceptable figure? If not, what can be done to tackle the problem? We welcome your response on the issue. Do write to us, within a week, in not more than 500 words to the following address: The Eduation Desk, Deccan Herald, 75 MG Road, Bangalore