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June — the `cruellest' month
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For many parents, June is a dreaded month as their budget allocation for the month soars to a record high.
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COME JUNE, the ordeal of parents to get their wards admitted in a school is immense. Just step into any of the reputed schools, you could see a long queue of parents waiting before the principal's room with their fingers crossed. Of late, they are more excited and tense than the children themselves when it comes to school admissions.
From getting new uniforms to buying new pair of shoes, the commitments of the parents are too many. While some of them run from pillar to post to get admissions, for others, it is a different story altogether, as they are in a mad scramble to cough up the money to pay the exorbitant fees charged by some of the institutions.
As education has become more and more competitive, getting school admission has become a tough task. If the application is for KG classes or Standard I or VI or XI (which are considered to be the entry points), there is every chance of getting an admission. But, if the application is for admission to other classes, then it becomes a big problem.
"Seeking admission into reputed educational institutions has become more difficult. Even though our children do well in the entrance tests, the parents are expected to bring in recommendation letters from big shots to get an admission. What we may have to pay for an LKG admission as initial fees would be exorbitant at the end," laments a father of two children.
Education starts well before the child understands its necessity.
The parent has to prepare the child for the entrance tests. Some of the schools even insist on the better academic qualification of the parents.
"The child spends most of its time under the care of the parents. Hence, proper monitoring will only enhance the knowledge of the child and so it is imperative that the parents should be better qualified, so that they can effectively train the child at home" claims a school official, who does not want to identify himself.
"Some schools insist on using their own transport facility, which once again becomes a big burden for the parents who cannot afford to pay the sum demanded for transport expense from the school," says Ramasamy, a government employee.
For many parents, June is a dreaded month as their budget allocation for the month soars to a record high. To compensate the difference, the breadwinner of the family applies for soft loans from banks. From then on, their financial commitment prevails for a year.
It doesn't end here. The parents are expected to arrange for tuition for their children if they fare poorly in the examinations. Till recently, tuition is generally arranged only for students who take on public exams, as they need extra care and attention to score well. But now, things are changing. Tuition is arranged even for a Standard II student, if he or she secures low marks.
"Better start saving money from now on, for you may have to spend a lot towards your children's education expenses," says Kamlesh, a businessman.
T. SARAVANAN
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Metro Plus
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