Cldown on schools' fee hike antics

(MENAFN- Arab News) JEDDAH: The Ministry of Education is planning to increase the role of its subsidiary committees in the region and governorates to address the issue of schools increasing the fees on one pretext or another.
A source in the ministry has been quoted as saying by local media that the committees will receive complaints against private and foreign schools violating the norms.
The ministry has already urged the schools that they cannot charge more in the name of 'additional fees.' Schools that don't abide by this will be penalized he said.
Mubarak Al-Isaimi the official spokesman of the ministry said that any demand for extra fees other than school fees approved by the ministry is a violation of the rules and regulations. It exposes schools to legal accountability he said. 'The fees approved for private and foreign schools include all educational services offered by the schools.'
Al-Isaimi confirmed that there is an electronic link for complaints related to school fees. 'Parents can file complaints and it will be dealt with by the branch committees of educational directorates in provinces and governorates.'
Parents have complained that some private schools send text messages to them asking them to 'reserve' seats for their children for extra fees or they will be denied admission. The reservation fees range from SR2000 to SR5000.
Ayman Al-Ali a parent called for increased control over private schools especially since they registered their children there because of the lack of seats in government schools. Parents were surprised when they received a SMS telling them to pay fees for reserving seats for their children she added.
Ala Al-Sawadi another parent said private schools demand extra fees in the name of admission test registration seat reservation and books.