The Ministry of National Education (MEB) has determined a bound increase rate of 36 percent in annual tuition fees in private schools, with the change in regulation. Private schools, on the other hand, increased the fees up to 100 percent in ancillary services such as meals, books, stationery and uniforms, and reflected this to the parents. While the parents are rebelling against this situation, the schools are trying to overcome the crisis environment they are experiencing by throwing them on the backs of the parents.
The Ministry of National Education has set a limit on the increase in tuition fees in private schools with the change in the regulation. The bound increase rate of 36 percent was applied to the education fees. However, the increase in products such as meals, uniforms, books and stationery in the ancillary service group caused reactions from the parents.
“SOME SCHOOLS MADE INCREASES OVER 100 PERCENT”
Özgür Özkan, President of the Private School Parents Platform, who made a statement to our newspaper about the hikes, pointing out that the bound hike rate brought not implemented to ancillary services, he said, “The bound hike rate was applied to the 36 percent education fee, which was determined as the increase rate. It does not concern the ancillary services other than education, such as meals, book sets, transportation service and clothes. Increases in ancillary services were realized as over 100 percent in some schools.” Stating that some private schools acted contrary to the regulation, apart from the hike, Özkan pointed out that the Ministry of National Education did not carry out an inspection on this issue, and added, "In the regulation, additional services such as meals, depending on the request of the parents, are obligatory. It is the violation of constitution but there is no interference.”
“WE ALSO MAKE COMPLAINTS”
Underlining that they made complaints about the issues arising out of the regulation as coercion, Özkan said, “We applied to the Ministry of National Education for the issues that are not obligatory to eat in the regulation but brought before the parents. We complained to Presidential Communication Center (CIMER). Schools argued that 'food is not compulsory'. However, in the actuality, the child who does not receive food in the application is definitely not registered to the school. Meal fees, which are 7-10 thousand Turkish Liras (TL), vary between 10 thousand and 20 thousand TL in the 2022-2023 academic year records. Book fees, which were 4-5 thousand TL, increased to 10 thousand TL.”