Hundreds of parents have launched a petition against plans by a leading private school in Bahrain to increase fees by 22 per cent from the new academic year.
So far more than 180 parents have signed the plea urging The Asian School to roll back its proposal announced last month.
CIRCULAR
The GDN had reported on December 20 that in a circular sent to parents the institution had said that it had applied to the Education Ministry to raise its fees.
School principal Molly Mammen had then said the move followed “tremendous increase in overheads”.
The parents claimed an increase in fees at this stage would only add to their burden, given the increased cost of living and some companies not paying wages on time.
“More than 120 parents attended our first gathering on Friday,” said a parent who did not wish to be named.
“They signed a petition urging the management to reconsider its decision.”
He told the GDN yesterday he has three children studying in the school and if the planned fee increase goes ahead he would have to pay an additional BD21 every month.
The fee revision will affect all classes from lower kindergarten to Grade 10 from the next academic year starting in March/April, while there will be no increase in fees for Grades 11 and 12.
The last time the school increased its fees was in 2017, by 20pc.
“In the meeting many parents spoke about delay in receiving salaries or not receiving their wages for months.
“The utility bills have also gone up; generally, the cost of living has gone up.”
The parents’ meeting at Bangkok Restaurant in Umm Al Hassam set a target of collecting at least 600 signatures.
The petition is expected to be submitted to the school and the Education Ministry on February 2.
“The phenomenon of cost escalation that is gripping the world, which probably prompted you (Asian School) to consider a fee revision, is affecting each and every one of us,” said the petition addressed to school director Lovy Joseph, a copy of which the GDN has secured.
“The soaring costs of commodities and rents apart from visa expenses have already broken our back and most of the parents are struggling to make both ends meet.
“The problem has compounded thanks to static salary levels for many of us.”
Ms Joseph told the GDN yesterday the school was facing “dire circumstances”.
“We do not want to overburden parents and totally understand their concerns, but in the same manner parents should also understand the school did not increase fees in 25 years before 2017,” she said.
“This year there was a 10pc increase in the rent of the school building.”
She said the proposed fee increase would come down to an additional BD7 per student.
Private educational establishments are allowed to raise fees by 5pc annually if they achieve an “excellent” or “good” rating – and the parents’ associations agree.
MPs in November voted to restrict fees rise to just 3pc every three years at Bahrain’s private schools and training institutions.
The Asian School was first officially opened in 1983, and moved from the Juffair and Umm Al Hassam campuses to the present, larger campus in Tubli in 2015.
sandy@gdn.com.bh
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