(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Doha: Parents have called on the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) to defer fees hike in private schools during COVID-19. Many are facing difficult financial times due to the pandemic.
Parents are reacting to the Ministry's announcement last month to open applications from private schools to increase fees.
A private school has said that it applied for a fee hike last month through the Ministry's online system.
Parents stress it would be difficult for many of them to afford a new increase in fees because of the financial constraints resulting from the pandemic.
As many parents keep reacting to the news regarding private fee increments, a Qatari parent said he was surprised by the Ministry's move to increase the fees under the current circumstance.
'Since the coronavirus outbreak and the imposition of the preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus, teaching turned into distance education, and parents became responsible for follow-up and guidance of their children at home. Parents played more significant roles in running a smooth distance and blended learning.
'Fees for private schools are already high in Qatar, so instead of taking into account this fact, the Ministry has invited applications for fee hike. Continuous increase in school fees has become an unending problem. The increases in tuition fees for private schools are taking place every three years, and this is making our private education system among the most expensive, said Khalifa Al Rumaihi.
He urged the Ministry to rethink whether it is appropriate to allow private schools to increase fees during the pandemic.
'I am with the teachers' right to lead a decent life and to obtain salaries that guarantee them that, but also the Ministry should be a fair mediator that balances the interests of the family and the school. The exceptional situations that we are going through due to the spread of the virus should be taken into account, instead of dealing with the matter as if everything is normal, said Al Rumaihi.
Another parent, Ibrahim Al Kuwari, said that the world is going through exceptional health conditions, and these conditions are reflected in everyone's economic situation.
Al Kuwari, whose children are in private schools, told The Peninsula: 'I expected the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to take into account these circumstances and refuse applications for the increment of fees from the private schools this year at least until things return to pre-COVID-19 conditions. 'Unfortunately, we hear that the Ministry does not only receive applications for increasing fees but has invited the schools to submit their applications to increase fees, without taking into account the parents' circumstances.
Al Kuwari asked why private schools are primed to make a profit while everyone else suffers significant financial strains this period.
'I appeal to the Ministry not to rush to receive the applications and not to raise the fees, at least this year. The burdens that parents are bearing due to these conditions should be taken into account seriously, Al Kuwari added.
Another parent Abu Hamad told The Peninsula that parents expected the Ministry to reduce school fees because of the pandemic, which has brought some businesses to a halt. Companies have reduced some workers' salaries. Instead, the Ministry invited applications to increase fees which will put an extra burden on parents.
He urged the Ministry to revise the decision and close applications for fees increase until normalcy returns.
'At this difficult time, there is no way to think about increasing the school fees, said a parent, Sayed Ameen.
'We live in exceptional circumstances, and schools do not offer anything new which is worth an increase in fees, said Ameen.
He added that students benefit little from schools since the outbreak and all the burden is on parents more than schools. Schools are supposed to reduce their fees instead of increasing them.
For her part, Maryam, who has two children in private schools, said: 'The Ministry should not send any circular to schools in this regard, as it is unjustified to hike fees at this time.
She said that the current blended learning system is a burden more on parents compared to schools.
However, private schools have justified the fee hike describing it as necessary for schools' survival as they provide quality education.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Riyaz Amed Bakali, Founder Director of The Next Generation School (TNG), said that his school applied to increase fees by six percent last month.
'The Ministry of Education and Higher Education opened the system allowing schools to submit requests for increasing fees following certain rules and regulations. As per the rules, in June, the Ministry approves for genuine applications which meet all requirements for the fee hike, said Bakali.
Giving justification for his school's application, Bakali said: 'The fee hike is not going to be implemented immediately. It will take many months between approval and implementation. When it comes into effect, the COVID-19 situation is expected to have improved, so there will be no major impact on parents.
He said that TNG had increased fees by 3.2 percent five years ago. 'Now operation cost of schools has increased drastically. Transport became costlier due to the hike in fuel prices. Moreover, we make increment in the salary of staff annually, Bakali added.
He said that a fee hike is necessary for a suitable business model; otherwise, private investors will not continue.
'Fee hike process undergoes strict rules and regulations imposed by the MoEHE, which considers concerns of parents and schools as well, he noted.
To a question about parents' complaints on fee hikes during an Al Rayan TV programme earlier, the Director of Private Schools Licensing Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Hamad Al Ghali, said schools that have increased their fees, after the Ministry's approval, could not do so until after three years.
'Even if it applied for fees increase, the application will be rejected. The requests for fee hikes should be submitted with the documents to justify the demand. The committee concerned will study the request, then the final decision is taken for approval or rejection, Al Ghali had said.
He said that parents are being informed about fee increases and are given enough time to decide to move their children to more affordable schools.
The Peninsula approached the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for a comment on the topic on February 14, but no response was received.
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