"No Amount of Inflation Can Explain": Bengaluru Parents Outraged Over Staggering Year 3 Fees of £21
BENGALURU, INDIA – The South Indian city’s expat community is up in arms over shocking news that parents of a reputable international school may have to cough up a mind-boggling £21 (over ₹22,000) to send their seven-year-old to Year 3. The school, which remained unnamed in official statements, announced the fee increase citing inflation.
The outrage that has followed speaks volumes about the exasperated parents, some of whom say they have always been supportive of the school despite the hefty sums they already spend. The drastic hike has stirred a debate around the issue, with many in the community condemning the move and questioning the affordability of such hefty fees.
Several parents took to social media and online forums, expressing their fury and disbelief, with many admitting they had reached their breaking points. "When did it start to feel acceptable to price your education out of reach of your own children’s future?" was a common question echoed by fed-up parents. "This [fee hike] is no exaggeration; an astronomical increase we can’t shake off. Even the stately inflation rates and economic uncertainty will not be valid excuses," some parents added in their online gripes.
Furthermore, several sources close to the school revealed a lack of proper communication from authorities regarding the dramatic fee adjustment, which has prompted concerns about administrative transparency. Questions have also swirled surrounding the distribution and allocation of already substantial school incomes, sparking frustration among those least able to meet the sudden upsurge. "Where were these ‘exceptional circumstances of inflation’ explained to us and how can I justify spending two-thirds of the average annual [Indian] minimum wage on year 3 costs?" another fuming parent noted.
Some disgruntled stakeholders have already reached out to neighboring schools and public institutions, voicing concerns of a systemic fault line and voicing a unanimous demand for reconsideration of an already onerous education financial burden. One parent shared stories of students skipping meals or participating in local entrepreneurial ventures to stay afloat economically, underscoring the importance of this social issue.
Ultimately, as debates rage on surrounding the ‘permissibility and necessity’ of such steep rates, many would agree that educators, administrators and policymakers alike may need to fundamentally reevaluate local education budgets amidst the pandemic-challenged national economy.
Here’s the fact-check:
| Fact Checker | Claim | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| **Verified | The school** | has actually announced a ‘£21-fee increase’. | |
| **Contested | Some parents | already spend hefty amounts on their wards’ education with no sign of relief in recent years. Several parents feel hard-pressed considering the recent monetary constraints faced | |
| **Alleged Untruth | None | Specific instances of misinformation or manipulation may have occurred. | |
| **Conjecture ‘Exceptional situations’ | All | No real evidence supports economic uncertainty being exceptional circumstances. |
Do you agree the fee hike and the concerns among parents? Drop your comments for further discussion.
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