PATNA: Patna’s private schools have decided to up their tuition fees 8% to 20% from the academic session 2018-19. The Christian minority schools may go for the the highest 20% hike as an “interim measure” to implement the Seventh Pay Commission ’s recommendations for their faculty and staff members.

A meeting of Christian minority schools presided over by Don Bosco Academy director Alfred George deRozario in January this year proposed a 15-20% hike in the tuition fees from the fiscal 2018-19.

The schools that attended this meet included Notre Dame Academy, Loyola High School, St Michael’s High School, St Paul’s High School, St Karen’s High School, St Karen’s Secondary School, Mt Carmel High School, St Joseph’s Convent High School, St Xavier’s High School and Jesus and Mary Academy.

According to St Karen’s manager Remy Osta, every school administration prepares a budget before the commencement of every new session. The budget takes into account teachers’ salary and provident fund contributions for them besides the expenses likely to be incurred on infrastructure development.

“Last year, the Christian minority schools increased the fees by 10-12%, but we have now decided to up the fees by 15-20% from the new academic session because our teachers and other employees are being paid salaries as per the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations,” Osta said.

Christian schools apart, DAV schools may also hike tuition fees. DAV Public School-BSEB Colony ’s principal V S Ojha said the school’s managing committee (which comprises of BSEB chairman, schoolteachers, parents’ association members and DAV group officials), after considering the likely expenditures and development agenda, has decided to increase the fees by 12%.

“The revised tuition fees for non-BSEB students per month will be Rs 2,450 for LKG to Class V, Rs 2,600 for classes VI to VIII, Rs 2,950 for classes IX and X and Rs 4,950 for classes XI and XII,” Ojha said.

The Bishop Scott group schools have yet not taken a decision on the revised tuition fees. “Tuition fees hike is proportionate to teacher’s salary increase... It’s likely to be 8-12% for the new academic session,” said Bishop Scott Girls’ School MD Shailesh Prasad Singh.

However, there’s good news for the parents with wards in Gyan Niketan schools. The school administration has decided not to increase its tuition fees this time.

“Gyan Niketan’s monthly tuition fee is Rs 1,450 for classes up to Standard II, Rs 1,500 for classes VI to VIII, Rs 1,800 for classes IX and X and Rs 2,000 for classes XI and XII,” Gyan Niketan Boys’ School vice-principal S M Jha said and added the fee structure would remain unchanged for the academic session 2018-19.

