Latest news with #privateSchools
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rising school fees push Indian families to the brink
Parents in several Indian cities, including capital Delhi, are protesting against what they call "unsustainable" fee raises by private schools. These increases, they say, are stretching household budgets to a breaking point and taking a toll on their children. Aaditya Mattey, 14, woke up on 9 May feeling confident about his English exam. His father dropped him off at his school in Indian capital Delhi, but Aaditya never got to write his exam. "Two or three minutes after I entered the class, guards and bouncers asked me to leave the room," Aaditya recalls. His father was still standing outside the school gates when Aaditya and a few other students were asked to get on the school bus, which dropped them off at their homes. Aaditya's name was removed from Delhi Public School Dwarka's rolls after his father refused to pay a recent fee hike which he alleges was arbitrary and unauthorised. The BBC reached out to DPS Dwarka and the Delhi Public School Society - which runs the DPS chain of schools - for comment, but did not receive a response. Aaditya's case is not an isolated one and DPS is not the only school which is facing allegations of arbitrary fee increase. Over the past two months, protests have erupted across Indian cities - from Delhi to Pune to Hyderabad - as a growing number of parents accuse private schools of imposing steep fee raises. In Delhi, which has emerged as the epicentre of the protests, the issue recently made headlines after DPS Dwarka allegedly confined students in the library, hired security guards to stop them from entering classes and expelled them over unpaid dues. Parents have accused the school of punishing children for financial decisions made by their families. Government-run schools operate nationwide but often suffer from poor, inconsistent quality, prompting even many low-income families to choose private schools for better opportunities. In Delhi, rules say that private schools on government-leased land must get Directorate of Education (DoE) approval before raising fees and must admit 25% economically weaker or disadvantaged students - a condition tied to their subsidised leases. The BBC has contacted the DoE for comment on the fee rises, which parents have reported to us, but has not received a response. Schools, on the other hand, have argued in court and told parents that they are struggling. They cite inflation, rising staff salaries, delayed reimbursements from the government for economically weaker students and the need for infrastructure upgrades as reasons for raising fees. Divya Mattey says his son Aaditya's annual fee in 2020 was 93,400 rupees ($1,077; £802). This, he says, has more than doubled to 189,096 rupees in 2025-26. Mr Mattey is among dozens of parents who have taken the school to court, alleging it has unlawfully removed students from rolls and harassed families over the fee issue. "We never thought a school of this stature would treat children like this - bar them from classrooms, assign bouncers and make them sit in the library for days," he says. The school did not answer the BBC's questions over email and on a phone call. But in court, it reportedly argued that there was no legal obligation to retain students whose fees haven't been paid. According to a report in The Indian Express newspaper, DPS claimed it suffered losses of 490m rupees last year and had to raise fees. A notice on the school's website meanwhile accuses "a small group of parents" of spreading "false and malicious information regarding the school fee structure" in an attempt to "mislead and create confusion". But the controversy reflects a broader problem. A recent survey by online community platform LocalCircles found that more than 80% of parents with children in private schools said fees had increased by over 10% this academic year. In cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the rise in some schools was as high as 30%. India has no centralised regulation for private schools; each state sets its own rules. For example, Maharashtra allows a 15% fee rise every two years - subject to review if 25% of parents object - while Karnataka permits a 10% annual increase with audit justification. Enforcement, however, is weak, and legal disputes over fees often drag on for years, providing little timely relief to families. Gagandeep Singh, whose son attends Mira Model School in West Delhi, says fees rose 45% last year and over 10% this year. Singh is willing to pay the earlier DoE-approved fee, but says the school has refused his cheque for the current term, which began nearly three months ago. The BBC reached out to Mira Model School but received no response. "It's not our job to regulate schools," Mr Singh says. "That's what the government is supposed to do." Meanwhile, many parents fear that the DPS case has set a troubling precedent. "We don't want our children to be thrown out of their classes, like what happened there," says Pankaj Gupta, whose son studies at Delhi's Maharaja Agarsain Public School. Mr Gupta said the school increased fees by 25% this year without advance notice. "We had no choice. We had to pay," he added. Mr Gupta runs a small convenience store but has faced declining sales since the pandemic. The rise of online shopping has further squeezed physical stores. Now, rising school fees are pushing his family to the brink. The BBC has reached out to Maharaja Agarsain Public School for comment. Another parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she's considering withdrawing her son from the school he attended since childhood due to an "unsustainable" 30% fee hike this year. "Both my husband and I work, but our salaries haven't gone up significantly. As a parent, you try to give your child the best but sometimes that comes at great personal cost," she said. But she admits that switching schools also feels risky - what if the next one also increases fees? "It's the same situation everywhere," she said. The uproar has prompted the Delhi government to act. On 10 June the state cabinet approved the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025, pending the Lieutenant Governor's approval - necessary for it to become a law. Though not yet public, Education Minister Ashish Sood says it will tighten private school fee regulations. But parents are demanding greater transparency. Last weekend, hundreds protested in Delhi, urging the government to consider their feedback when drafting the bill. Shikha Sharma Bagga, Supreme Court lawyer and secretary of a group called Justice for All, urges timely audits: "Schools' finances must be audited before each academic year so parents know what they're paying for." Back in Dwarka, Aaditya is still trying to get back to class. Media reports say DPS Dwarka has agreed to reinstate students expelled for not paying fees. But Mr Mattey says they are still waiting. "The school has shown some reciprocation, but to this date my child's name is not back on the register," he says, adding that he hasn't received any assignments for the current academic session. "My son is only 14. He should be focusing on his studies, not worrying about whether he'll be allowed to sit in class tomorrow." Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Delhi: Rising school fees push Indian families to the brink
Parents in several Indian cities, including capital Delhi, are protesting against what they call "unsustainable" fee raises by private schools. These increases, they say, are stretching household budgets to a breaking point and taking a toll on their Mattey, 14, woke up on 9 May feeling confident about his English father dropped him off at his school in Indian capital Delhi, but Aaditya never got to write his exam."Two or three minutes after I entered the class, guards and bouncers asked me to leave the room," Aaditya father was still standing outside the school gates when Aaditya and a few other students were asked to get on the school bus, which dropped them off at their name was removed from Delhi Public School Dwarka's rolls after his father refused to pay a recent fee hike which he alleges was arbitrary and BBC reached out to DPS Dwarka and the Delhi Public School Society - which runs the DPS chain of schools - for comment, but did not receive a case is not an isolated one and DPS is not the only school which is facing allegations of arbitrary fee the past two months, protests have erupted across Indian cities - from Delhi to Pune to Hyderabad - as a growing number of parents accuse private schools of imposing steep fee raises. In Delhi, which has emerged as the epicentre of the protests, the issue recently made headlines after DPS Dwarka allegedly confined students in the library, hired security guards to stop them from entering classes and expelled them over unpaid dues. Parents have accused the school of punishing children for financial decisions made by their schools operate nationwide but often suffer from poor, inconsistent quality, prompting even many low-income families to choose private schools for better Delhi, rules say that private schools on government-leased land must get Directorate of Education (DoE) approval before raising fees and must admit 25% economically weaker or disadvantaged students - a condition tied to their subsidised BBC has contacted the DoE for comment on the fee rises, which parents have reported to us, but has not received a on the other hand, have argued in court and told parents that they are struggling. They cite inflation, rising staff salaries, delayed reimbursements from the government for economically weaker students and the need for infrastructure upgrades as reasons for raising fees. Divya Mattey says his son Aaditya's annual fee in 2020 was 93,400 rupees ($1,077; £802). This, he says, has more than doubled to 189,096 rupees in Mattey is among dozens of parents who have taken the school to court, alleging it has unlawfully removed students from rolls and harassed families over the fee issue."We never thought a school of this stature would treat children like this - bar them from classrooms, assign bouncers and make them sit in the library for days," he school did not answer the BBC's questions over email and on a phone call. But in court, it reportedly argued that there was no legal obligation to retain students whose fees haven't been paid. According to a report in The Indian Express newspaper, DPS claimed it suffered losses of 490m rupees last year and had to raise fees.A notice on the school's website meanwhile accuses "a small group of parents" of spreading "false and malicious information regarding the school fee structure" in an attempt to "mislead and create confusion".But the controversy reflects a broader problem.A recent survey by online community platform LocalCircles found that more than 80% of parents with children in private schools said fees had increased by over 10% this academic year. In cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the rise in some schools was as high as 30%.India has no centralised regulation for private schools; each state sets its own example, Maharashtra allows a 15% fee rise every two years - subject to review if 25% of parents object - while Karnataka permits a 10% annual increase with audit justification. Enforcement, however, is weak, and legal disputes over fees often drag on for years, providing little timely relief to Singh, whose son attends Mira Model School in West Delhi, says fees rose 45% last year and another 7% this is willing to pay the earlier DoE-approved fee, but the school has refused his cheque for the current term, which began nearly three months BBC reached out to Mira Model School but received no response."It's not our job to regulate schools," Mr Singh says. "That's what the government is supposed to do."Meanwhile, many parents fear that the DPS case has set a troubling precedent."We don't want our children to be thrown out of their classes, like what happened there," says Pankaj Gupta, whose son studies at Delhi's Maharaja Agarsain Public Gupta said the school increased fees by 25% this year without advance notice."We had no choice. We had to pay," he Gupta runs a small convenience store but has faced declining sales since the pandemic. The rise of online shopping has further squeezed physical stores. Now, rising school fees are pushing his family to the BBC has reached out to Maharaja Agarsain Public School for comment. Another parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she's considering withdrawing her son from the school he attended since childhood due to an "unsustainable" 30% fee hike this year."Both my husband and I work, but our salaries haven't gone up significantly. As a parent, you try to give your child the best but sometimes that comes at great personal cost," she she admits that switching schools also feels risky - what if the next one also increases fees?"It's the same situation everywhere," she uproar has prompted the Delhi government to 10 June the state cabinet approved the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Ordinance, 2025, pending the Lieutenant Governor's approval - necessary for it to become a not yet public, Education Minister Ashish Sood says it will tighten private school fee parents are demanding greater transparency. Last weekend, hundreds protested in Delhi, urging the government to consider their feedback when drafting the Sharma Bagga, Supreme Court lawyer and secretary of a group called Justice for All, urges timely audits: "Schools' finances must be audited before each academic year so parents know what they're paying for."Back in Dwarka, Aaditya is still trying to get back to reports say DPS Dwarka has agreed to reinstate students expelled for not paying fees. But Mr Mattey says they are still waiting."The school has shown some reciprocation, but to this date my child's name is not back on the register," he says, adding that he hasn't received any assignments for the current academic session."My son is only 14. He should be focusing on his studies, not worrying about whether he'll be allowed to sit in class tomorrow."Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
‘Cruel joke': tax concession drives donations to Australia's richest private schools and must stop, critics argue
The Albanese government has been urged to end an 'outrageous' and 'cruel joke' that incentivises donations to Australia's richest private schools in return for a tax deduction. But the peak body for independent schools says the criticism is overblown and that tax-deductibility is 'essential' to build campus infrastructure, with 95% of capital expenditure funded through parent contributions, fundraising, loans and philanthropy. Analysis of federal government data by the campaign group Save Our Schools has found that more than $106m was donated to 60 private schools in 2023. Some of these donations were considered tax deductible gifts to charities, provided the money was designated for campus buildings. Some tax experts and analysts believe this concession – which is not extended to all charities and has been criticised by the Productivity Commission – has exacerbated inequality in the education system and added to the largesse of exclusive schools. The analysis revealed dozens of private schools received donation totalling more than $2m in 2023, in addition to substantial revenue from investments and property portfolios, and funding from government. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'It is a cruel joke that taxpayers who could never dream of sending their own kids to such superbly well-resourced schools are indirectly subsidising those that can,' said Matthew Wade, a sociologist at La Trobe University who has studied the scheme for years. 'We should all be offended by witnessing something so manifestly unfair continue unabated.' Eleven private schools received more than $3m from donors in 2023, topped by St Aloysius' College, in Kirribilli, which collected $9.1m for bursaries and major building works from donation campaigns. Melbourne Grammar School received $5.9m in donations, followed by the Scots College in Sydney ($4m) and Xavier College in Melbourne ($3.9m). Years of philanthropy has helped fund major building projects at these schools, including a sculpture walk, a rooftop playground with Sydney Harbour views, and expansive aquatic and sports centres. Prof Ann O'Connell, a tax expert at the University of Melbourne, said 'the tax concession for gifts to school building funds is outrageous'. 'It dates from a time when it was difficult for the commonwealth to make grants to non-government schools,' O'Connell said. But Graham Catt, the chief executive of Independent Schools Australia, the peak body for the sector, said tax-deductibility for school building donations was 'not just fair – it's essential'. 'If anything, this is about private families picking up the bill where government support falls short,' Catt said. 'The lion's share of government capital grants still flows to public schools. 'Philanthropy plays a vital role across the independent school sector not just in funding buildings, but in enabling life-changing opportunities for students.' Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Catt said donations to private schools have supported scholarships and bursaries that help families facing financial hardship, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Jason Ward, an analyst with the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research, said it was 'ludicrous that donations to these elite private schools, with family median incomes ranging between $225k and $495k, should be tax deductible'. 'On top of that, these well endowed schools with high fees and their own income sources are getting more than $580m in annual government funding, while the state public school systems are struggling with higher rates of teacher turnover and class sizes.' But Catt said many of the buildings funded by donations – including science labs, libraries, outdoor learning areas, and multipurpose halls – benefited the broader local community. 'The benefits of philanthropy extend well beyond the school gate,' Catt said. David Crosbie, the chief executive of the Community Council for Australia (CCA), said many small charities were unable to provide tax deductible status to donors 'despite providing services to the community that provide a clear public benefit'. 'CCA believes there are many issues with the current deductive gift receipt system that need reform and private school building funds would be part of the reform,' Crosbie said. Last year, the Albanese government declined to support the Productivity Commission's recommendation that school building funds no longer be tax deductible. The federal government was contacted for comment.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Private schools dumb down entry requirements after VAT raid exodus
Private schools are lowering their entry requirements in the wake of Labour's VAT raid, sparking fears they are damaging their reputations. Headteachers said they have been left with no choice but to 'widen the net' as the Government's 20pc tax on school fees has led to a significant decrease in applicants. More than 11,000 children left private schools in the past year in England – more than four times higher than the Treasury had anticipated. However, headteachers warned that the impact of Labour's mid-year tax hike has yet to take full effect and there could be an even greater exodus this summer as parents treat it as a natural exit point to remove their children. It comes after a private school in Kent was forced to close after more than 50 families – equivalent to one in five pupils – withdrew for the next academic year. A headmaster of a small private school in Berkshire said: 'It is a huge issue. One school very local to us has closed because of their September numbers. They just didn't have the numbers coming in September to make it viable.' He added that he was aware of many schools that were having to lower entry requirements as a result, either by lowering the pass mark for entrance exams or making the test easier. He said: 'Schools are having to widen the net. They are going further down their waiting lists because they need to, and what's been interesting to see is that schools where pupils traditionally had to work hard [to gain a place], where it's usually very challenging to secure places, it is less challenging this year. 'You can see how nervous the sector is. Whether it's trying to attract new pupils, or all of these mergers and acquisitions are taking place, what has amazed me is the pace of change.' However, a headmaster of a small private school in Surrey attacked larger private schools for taking pupils that would ordinarily have attended his own and said it was no wonder so many smaller institutions were closing or merging. He said: 'As predicted I've seen larger, wealthier schools that are already financially well-cushioned lower their admissions criteria in order to take more pupils in Year 7 who would have gone to more modest schools like mine. 'Add VAT on school fees and a low birth rate and these more modest schools are really suffering with much lower Year 7 intakes. It's hardly surprising that these bigger schools are then hoovering up or taking over smaller schools.' He added: 'The independent schools sector is a delicate eco-system and it is being disrupted from within as well as from without.' One headmaster, who admitted to having lowered his school's entry requirements, said: 'We are trying to hold firm but we also back ourselves with the smaller classes to be able to support a small number of pupils who might be sailing close to the wind in terms of meeting the normal entrance requirements.' He struck a more optimistic tone and said that while schools were currently struggling to attract pupils in Year 7, Labour's failure to recruit 6,500 new specialist state school teachers and the lack of significant funding would bring more families back to the private sector in time. He said: 'Teacher recruitment is not happening in the state sector and I believe the manifesto pledge is now being sidestepped. The higher-than-anticipated salary increases for teachers have also come at a cost because it's only partially funded, so the only way that state schools can fund this is by making some of their staff, usually teaching assistants, redundant. 'I have seen a recent increase in interest from families who are now concerned that the state sector seems to be declining even more rapidly.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Private schools dumb down entry requirements after VAT raid exodus
Private schools are lowering their entry requirements in the wake of Labour's VAT raid, sparking fears they are damaging their reputations. Headteachers said they have been left with no choice but to 'widen the net' as the Government's 20pc tax on school fees has led to a significant decrease in applicants. More than 11,000 children left private schools in the past year in England – more than four times higher than the Treasury had anticipated. However, headteachers warned that the impact of Labour's mid-year tax hike has yet to take full effect and there could be an even greater exodus this summer as parents treat it as a natural exit point to remove their children. It comes after a private school in Kent was forced to close after more than 50 families – equivalent to one in five pupils – withdrew for the next academic year. A headmaster of a small private school in Berkshire said: 'It is a huge issue. One school very local to us has closed because of their September numbers. They just didn't have the numbers coming in September to make it viable.' He added that he was aware of many schools that were having to lower entry requirements as a result, either by lowering the pass mark for entrance exams or making the test easier. He said: 'Schools are having to widen the net. They are going further down their waiting lists because they need to, and what's been interesting to see is that schools where pupils traditionally had to work hard [to gain a place], where it's usually very challenging to secure places, it is less challenging this year. 'You can see how nervous the sector is. Whether it's trying to attract new pupils, or all of these mergers and acquisitions are taking place, what has amazed me is the pace of change.' However, a headmaster of a small private school in Surrey attacked larger private schools for taking pupils that would ordinarily have attended his own and said it was no wonder so many smaller institutions were closing or merging. He said: 'As predicted I've seen larger, wealthier schools that are already financially well-cushioned lower their admissions criteria in order to take more pupils in Year 7 who would have gone to more modest schools like mine. 'Add VAT on school fees and a low birth rate and these more modest schools are really suffering with much lower Year 7 intakes. It's hardly surprising that these bigger schools are then hoovering up or taking over smaller schools.' He added: 'The independent schools sector is a delicate eco-system and it is being disrupted from within as well as from without.' One headmaster, who admitted to having lowered his school's entry requirements, said: 'We are trying to hold firm but we also back ourselves with the smaller classes to be able to support a small number of pupils who might be sailing close to the wind in terms of meeting the normal entrance requirements.' He struck a more optimistic tone and said that while schools were currently struggling to attract pupils in Year 7, Labour's failure to recruit 6,500 new specialist state school teachers and the lack of significant funding would bring more families back to the private sector in time. He said: 'Teacher recruitment is not happening in the state sector and I believe the manifesto pledge is now being sidestepped. The higher-than-anticipated salary increases for teachers have also come at a cost because it's only partially funded, so the only way that state schools can fund this is by making some of their staff, usually teaching assistants, redundant. 'I have seen a recent increase in interest from families who are now concerned that the state sector seems to be declining even more rapidly.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
