Education, Careers & Professional News
Pay better and learn better?
BANGALORE: Private schools in Bangalore are mushrooming every day, as running them has become a very profitable business. The schools charge fees depending on the kind of infrastructure they provide. The better the facility, the higher the fee structure.
The facilities include boarding, lodging, playground, laboratory, library, classrooms, computers and even courseware.
The fee structures also depend on the syllabus they follow __ State, ICSE, CBSE or any alternative curriculum.
In contrast to the ancient Gurukul system, which preferred austere living conditions for learning and acquiring knowledge, many residential schools now offer various comforts for their students and charge accordingly. For instance, a private residential school in Bangalore is charging Rs 1.8 lakh annually for an air-conditioned single room and has a reduced charge of Rs 1.4 lakh for an air-conditioned double room. The dormitory which is non-AC comes at Rs 1.2 lakh per year.
Schools even charge based on the syllabus. Treamis, which claims to offer international standard syllabus, at present charges Rs 98,000 for pre-school per year and Rs 1.15 lakh for kindergarten. For the higher classes, depending on students opting for residential, non-residential or semi-residential schools, the fee amount varies. For instance, the school charges Rs 1.98 lakh for nonresidential students in grade one to five and Rs 2.82 lakh for semi-residential and Rs 2.98 lakh for full-residential. But, there is discount for Indian citizens.
The fee amount excludes admission and registration charges.
For those who enrol their children for the next academic year before September 30, the school management offers the same fee as charged in this academic year. But those who enrol after that date will be charged as per next year’s prescribed fee.
The Amber Valley Residential School in Chikmagalur charges around Rs 1.7 lakh for first standard, which includes tuition, essential course material, boarding and lodging, computer, library, laboratory and other services. Of this Rs 1 lakh is charged as tuition fee.
Here, parents are allowed to pay in three instalments. The Dean Academy charges Rs 80,000 for first standard. This includes Rs 20,000 registration fee, which is not refundable and tuition fee Rs 60,000.
Even the montessoris charge hefty fees ranging between Rs 18,000 and Rs 25,000.
Smart Kids International charges Rs 18,000. The montessori works three hours a day for five days in a week. Podar Jumbo Kids is charging Rs 19,500 for montessori this year and will increase the amount further in the next year.
When contacted Vasudev Sharma, Director, Child Rights Trust, said when provided such high-end facilities, children may not know the ground reality. “We will end up producing children who will be unaware of the other side of the world,” he said.
More : expressbuzz.com