Schools explain higher tuition

JEDDAH: Tuition at private schools have risen sharply in the current academic year, largely due to teachers’ increased salaries, taxes and inflation.
Since the beginning of the school year Saturday (Sept. 1), Saudi teachers working at private schools get a minimum monthly salary of SR 5,000 and SR 600 transportation allowance. The Human Resources Development Fund contributes 50 percent to the teachers’ salaries, whereas the schools pay the other half. Despite this, tuition has increased by 25 to 50 percent this year compared to 10 percent in previous years, and families say they are struggling to pay the higher fees.
Maha Bawazeer, supervisor of private schools at the Ministry of Education, said that some schools had to double the tuition to be able to continue.
“Some teachers, especially at small private schools, are now getting a raise up to 70 percent. This sharp increase will certainly affect the school’s budget. The Human Resources Development Fund will contribute by paying SR 2,500, while schools must pay SR 3,100. Most schools were paying only SR 1,500 to SR 1,800,” Bawazeer, who is also a member of the private schools committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said.
According to her, all private schools are forced to increase their tuition.
“We hope that the Ministry of Education will set a schedule to define the tuition fees of each level, taking into consideration the schools’ services and experience,” she said.
An owner of a private school in Jeddah, who requested to remain anonymous, said that increasing the tuition is a must — or else, schools will shut down. “All schools have increased their tuition for several reasons. The higher salary of teachers is a reason, but the taxes schools pay to the General Organization for Social Insurance is another reason,” she said. She added: “Taxes this year increased by 11 percent due to the new salaries. Although the government will pay 50 percent of the teachers’ salaries, they will not pay 50 percent of the taxes.”
Wafa Al-Qadi, owner of Dawhat Al-Jazeera School, said the main reason behind the sharp tuition increase is inflation.
“There are two systems regarding tuition hikes. Schools can increase tuition annually by five to 10 percent, or they can do so every three years by 25 percent. Inflation affects the schools’ budget negatively. There is no other way to cover the losses but to increase the tuition,” she said.
According to Al-Qadi, all private schools increased their tuition this academic year.
“Some schools shocked the families in the beginning of the academic year. At my school, we increased the tuition with SR 3,000 for each student, but we informed the families of the new fees at the end of the last academic year,” she said.