Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

ISWK parents seek scrapping of fee hike

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MUSCAT: Parents of Indian School Wadi Kabir (ISWK) have repeatedly demanded that the school reconsider its decision to hike tuition fees this academic year. They met the principal on Saturday in this regard. According to the parents, in the last two years the school has increased tuition fees totalling RO 58 per student annually without any reason. Scores of parents met the school authorities again on Saturday demanding that the fee hike be withdrawn and the previous fee structure be reinstated, in view of the present financial conditions.


“We, the parents of Indian School Wadi Kabir requested the school authorities to revise the fee hike and submitted a memorandum signed by us. We were told to expect a positive feedback on Saturday but we haven’t got any response till now”, Binu, one of the parents, said.


Parents told the Observer that the average tuition fee hike at ISWK since 2011 goes like this: In the academic year 2011 it was RO 21 monthly but in 2012 it was hiked to RO 30, which is an increase of RO 2 per month by ISWK management and RO 7 per month by BOD from previous year. In 2013, it was increased to RO 33 and in 2014, it rose to RO 36. In 2015 it was further increased to RO 42 although the announced hike was RO 3. The average increase was RO 6 from previous year. Parents said that again in 2016, another monthly increase of RO 1 took the tuition fees to RO 43. In 2017, the tuition fee became RO 44 with an increase of RO 1 and in 2018, tuition fee rose to an ever high of RO 45 with the increase of RO 1.


“With the increase of RO 34 this academic year, the burden on the parents has become unbearable as it has come at a time when expatriates are either losing jobs or their salaries are cut”, another parent added.


The parents have submitted a memorandum to the school stating that the ISWK is raising the fee every year without the consent of parents.


In his comments to the Observer, D N Rao, school principal, said the hike is really needed to give the teachers a better salary and perks at par with the Indian Schools standard. “We have informed the parents that we are forced to increase the monthly fees by RO 2 this year, instead of RO 1 last year and an additional yearly payment of a non-refundable RO10 for all Indian Schools, which can be paid in instalments towards the infrastructure, welfare and other small expenses fees”, the principal said.


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