By Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH – International Indian School Jeddah (IISJ) has decided to increase the tuition fee by over 20 percent effective Sept. 1.

According to a circular sent to parents, Principal Dr. Muzaffar Hassan attributed the fee hike to the bad financial condition of the school that affected its smooth running. He said that a decision has been taken in this regard by the school administration with the approval of the competent authorities, including the Ministry of Education (MoE).

“Though the approval by MoE was accorded to charge the revised fee with effect from April 2019 onwards, yet it has been decided to collect the revised fee with effect from September 2019 to ease financial burden on the parents,” he said.

According to the revised fee, the monthly increase is SR60.43 for LKG to V class while the fee increase for VI to VIII classes and IX to XII classes is SR65.43 and SR70.43 respectively.

Meanwhile, several parents are up in arms against the decision of the managing committee to make a hike in the fee structure. “It is strange that the notification came more than half a month after the actual date of the fee implementation,” one parent said.

The parents said that this puts a big burden on the low and middle income families, especially parents with three or four school-going children. The parents called on the school authorities to review their decision, while noting that the fee hike is a big burden on many low-income parents who are struggling to make ends meet, especially at a time when they are facing job-related issues.

It is noteworthy that in 2015 the then managing committee had made a 20 percent hike in fee structure from June 1 and that resulted in protest from parents and community leaders. Subsequently, the committee reviewed the decision by slashing some percentage of the hike.