Education in India is not an easy affair. As far as the schools are concerned, they follow the usual fee hike process every year whereas parents keep cribbing about the increased fees and extra charges that have to be paid apart from tuition fees. However with the new situation that has arisen because of the sudden outbreak of covid-19, the schools as well as parents are exposed towards a new unseen challenge. Continuing the schools in such a time is not at all an option for primary classes and even if it is, schools are neither equipped nor capable of handling the situation with the children. Everyone has the right to live and so do the teachers. And to pay the teacher's salary, the school needs money. It can be argued although, that the schools are self sufficient to manage all their expenses for at least a few months, but that is a different story altogether.
Every parent has their paying capacity when it comes to choosing a school for their kids’ education. More payment ensures more add-ons like bigger brand value, International exposure, which may or may not be beneficial for the child, however definitely becomes an added topic for the purposeless discussions among the parents, several times during the session. It's not just the academics, but also the co-curricular, sports, yoga, outings, activities, and the list is endless. Considering all the primary and additional benefits, the fee structure is designed, agreeing to which the parents select a school of their choice. There is a price tag to any product or service available in the market, with certain features and benefits. If any of the feature or benefit is missing, the seller or service provider is liable to be prosecuted. There are rules and regulations in place to handle such situations and the reason why the product or service providers comply to it.
Likewise, schools also charge fees for our children's education. If our children do not get all the benefits like physical classes, yoga classes, skating classes, karate classes, sports, and other facilities, for which every parent pays the fess, then the school cannot demand the same fees that they have been charging earlier. If the education is only restricted to Online Classes and no other facility, then the fees should be accordingly re-structured and discussed with parents. You cannot charge the same price even with reduced and restricted facilities and features. All the educational institutions, or for that matter, any service provider, who cannot provide the services as promised, must accordingly reduce their prices to better justify their modified offerings.
Also, the prevailing fees structure of the school is based on the curriculum of the school that was being followed till the previous session, which comprises of several components and not just studies and art & craft. Parents had agreed to the fee structure based on that curriculum for their children. However, as per the current scenario, the entire curriculum has changed and the mode of education has shifted from physical to online, including only studies. Also, the interaction and learning time spent between the teachers and the students has reduced from 5-6 hours a day to 1 - 2 hours a day(considering that online live classes would be done daily, 5 days a week for 1- 2 hours), reducing the daily time spent on the education by almost 75%. We have to agree that this time does not include the time that the teachers are spending in preparing for the online classes, but then we have to go with the flow as the situation demands. The teachers were earlier also involved in preparing modules and assignments for teaching in physical classes; only the methods of preparing and imparting the teaching and studies have changed.
The professional life, in case both parents are working, also becomes quite stressful and demanding; and on top of it they have to also be the teachers for their kids especially for the primary classes. Initially the parents used to be the support system for their kids as far as imparting education was concerned, in helping them revising or practicing their syllabus or curriculum. However, now, with the online classes coming into picture, they have become their primary source of teaching, trying hard to mimic teachers, in a real time, which practically is very difficult to take up. Also, to devote quality time on the kid’s education as per the demand due to the current situation, parent's involvement, which was initially hardly 20%, and as per their convenience, has now increased to more than 70% and is a compulsion now regardless of their own professional and personal requirements and commitments.
Although parents are required to be there for the kids for their betterment and educational requirements; but then should the school not consider parent's predicament as well and address our genuine concerns appropriately. Honestly, keeping the above things in mind and still maintaining a fees structure same as that of the previous year, definitely not undermining the efforts put in by the teachers, seems a bit harsh. All this time required in teaching the kids at home has to be taken out from the parent’s office schedule, which adversely affects their productivity and makes them do part time office work instead of devoting full time, at least for one of the parent. This not only affects the performance of the working parents at their workplace, but also affects their finances, in terms of salary pay, reducing it considerably.
The parents understand the school’s commitments and requirements and will not be against paying the fees or following the curriculum; similarly the schools should also understand the parents’ perspective as well and take a decision accordingly for a mutual benefit.
Existing School Fees vs New Online Teaching Methods
Every parent has their paying capacity when it comes to choosing a school for their kids’ education. More payment ensures more add-ons like bigger brand value, International exposure, which may or may not be beneficial for the child, however definitely becomes an added topic for the purposeless discussions among the parents, several times during the session. It's not just the academics, but also the co-curricular, sports, yoga, outings, activities, and the list is endless. Considering all the primary and additional benefits, the fee structure is designed, agreeing to which the parents select a school of their choice. There is a price tag to any product or service available in the market, with certain features and benefits. If any of the feature or benefit is missing, the seller or service provider is liable to be prosecuted. There are rules and regulations in place to handle such situations and the reason why the product or service providers comply to it.
Likewise, schools also charge fees for our children's education. If our children do not get all the benefits like physical classes, yoga classes, skating classes, karate classes, sports, and other facilities, for which every parent pays the fess, then the school cannot demand the same fees that they have been charging earlier. If the education is only restricted to Online Classes and no other facility, then the fees should be accordingly re-structured and discussed with parents. You cannot charge the same price even with reduced and restricted facilities and features. All the educational institutions, or for that matter, any service provider, who cannot provide the services as promised, must accordingly reduce their prices to better justify their modified offerings.
Also, the prevailing fees structure of the school is based on the curriculum of the school that was being followed till the previous session, which comprises of several components and not just studies and art & craft. Parents had agreed to the fee structure based on that curriculum for their children. However, as per the current scenario, the entire curriculum has changed and the mode of education has shifted from physical to online, including only studies. Also, the interaction and learning time spent between the teachers and the students has reduced from 5-6 hours a day to 1 - 2 hours a day(considering that online live classes would be done daily, 5 days a week for 1- 2 hours), reducing the daily time spent on the education by almost 75%. We have to agree that this time does not include the time that the teachers are spending in preparing for the online classes, but then we have to go with the flow as the situation demands. The teachers were earlier also involved in preparing modules and assignments for teaching in physical classes; only the methods of preparing and imparting the teaching and studies have changed.
The professional life, in case both parents are working, also becomes quite stressful and demanding; and on top of it they have to also be the teachers for their kids especially for the primary classes. Initially the parents used to be the support system for their kids as far as imparting education was concerned, in helping them revising or practicing their syllabus or curriculum. However, now, with the online classes coming into picture, they have become their primary source of teaching, trying hard to mimic teachers, in a real time, which practically is very difficult to take up. Also, to devote quality time on the kid’s education as per the demand due to the current situation, parent's involvement, which was initially hardly 20%, and as per their convenience, has now increased to more than 70% and is a compulsion now regardless of their own professional and personal requirements and commitments.
Schools & Parents - Mutual Co-Operation Required
Although parents are required to be there for the kids for their betterment and educational requirements; but then should the school not consider parent's predicament as well and address our genuine concerns appropriately. Honestly, keeping the above things in mind and still maintaining a fees structure same as that of the previous year, definitely not undermining the efforts put in by the teachers, seems a bit harsh. All this time required in teaching the kids at home has to be taken out from the parent’s office schedule, which adversely affects their productivity and makes them do part time office work instead of devoting full time, at least for one of the parent. This not only affects the performance of the working parents at their workplace, but also affects their finances, in terms of salary pay, reducing it considerably.
The parents understand the school’s commitments and requirements and will not be against paying the fees or following the curriculum; similarly the schools should also understand the parents’ perspective as well and take a decision accordingly for a mutual benefit.
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