Debate rages over school fees

(MENAFN- Arab News) JEDDAH: While many parents have accused private schools of exorbitant fee increases Education Ministry officials have said the issue has been blown out of proportion while several schools have rejected these claims.

In addition officials have said that fee increases are done through mutual consent and that their pricing for extra-curricular activities are reasonable with only a few isolated cases of exorbitant increases according to a report in a local publication recently.
Awatef bint Fahd Al-Harethi director of private and foreign education at the ministry said that sometimes parents pay more when they ask for their children to be transferred to others schools. This cost is not covered by the fees paid she said.
She said parents agree to pay more for extra-curricular activities when they sign contracts with schools. This is not a cost imposed on parents she was quoted as saying by the publication.
Omar bin Ibrahim Al-Amer head of the Council of Saudi Chambers' committee on private education said that there are schools involved in fraudulent activities but these are isolated cases.
He said most schools are acting responsibly and that the law was clear about what constitutes violations. However he said there should be greater flexibility between parents and schools over fees for extra-curricular activities. Schools should not try to present these activities as compulsory which is a violation he said.
Malik bin Taleb chairman of the private education committee in Jeddah said fee increases at private schools in the city are approved by the ministry. All school activities have been included in the fees unless offered by an external party.
Abdullah Al-Kuwaiti head of the committee for private education in Madinah said the city's education department sent out a circular to all private schools warning that they must not ask for additional fees from parents after registration. Additional fees for activities such as sports are optional he said.
Two private school officials Mohammad Abdulatheem and Abdulraheem Al-Bayoumi said that owners of schools are undercharging parents because they have to contend with rising costs including salaries and maintaining sports fields.
School owner Zaher Ahmad Al-Baridi rejected claims from parents that he was charging too much and was involved in fraudulent activity. He said the ministry monitors fees through the Noor Program which is linked to constant visits by education inspectors.
Abeer Al-Ghamdi the mother of a first grader said she pays SR8000 for her daughter excluding SR200 for a uniform and a further SR2000 for trips to libraries and entertainment parks.
Education adviser Maha Bawazeer said parents should not complain because they agree to pay for uniforms and extra-curricular activities when they register their children at schools. They have a right to not pay other fees asked by their schools later in the year that are not linked to the core curriculum she said.
Abdullah Al-Hathloul manager of a secondary school in Riyadh said that most private schools are not involved in fraud because there was a clear fee policy in place. Other costs for school trips are about SR10 to SR20 and are paid by parents directly to a third party he said.
However one school owner who preferred anonymity said that there were schools involved in fraud which included extra fees for activities such as swimming outside trips and tuition for English.
A ministry source said that parents have a right to file complaints if they believe that their children's schools are overcharging them or have hidden costs not disclosed at registration.