UCA News
Contribute

Bangladesh bans tuition fee rise at private schools

Move follows outcry by parents, church over 'excessive increases'
Bangladesh bans tuition fee rise at private schools

A teacher takes class at church-run St. Gregory’s High School in Dhaka in this 2012 file photo. Church officials have cautiously welcomed a government order on Jan. 17 barring private schools from increasing tuition fees. (Photo by Stephan Uttom)

Published: January 18, 2016 09:31 AM GMT
Updated: January 18, 2016 09:46 AM GMT

Bangladesh’s Education Ministry has banned private schools from hiking tuition fees, in some cases by almost double, following an outcry from parent, students and the church.

The Jan. 17 directive said if any school defies the order it would face strict punitive measures.

The order came after several private schools in Dhaka and the country’s second city Chittagong suddenly raised monthly tuition fees by 50 to 100 percent.

They justified the move by citing a recent increase in government employees’ salaries.

The tuition increases triggered a series of street and other protests by hundreds of students and their parents since early January.

Every year many private schools raise tuition fees due to increases in various costs but this year crossed all the limits, parents and students said.

“Schools are using the [government] pay scale as an excuse to resort to looting,” Ziaul Kabir Dulu, president of the Dhaka-based Guardians’ Unity Forum — a parents association — was quoted as saying by online newsportal bdnews24.com on Jan. 16.

Despite being a tiny minority, Christians especially the Catholic Church play a vital role in the country’s education sector. The Catholic Church runs a university, eight colleges and 580 primary or high schools, helping to educate an estimated 100,000 students each year — most of them non-Christians.

In Dhaka and Chittagong, the church runs 27 high schools which are among the top ranked there.

Church officials and school heads say they have not hiked tuition fees and cautiously welcomed the government directive to stop private schools charging too much.

Although not opposed to minor increases in tuition fees they say some private schools have gone too far.

“To ensure quality education, quality teachers are essential and they need good pay. However, it should not be an excuse to charge extremely high fees from students,” said Holy Cross Brother Robi T. Purification, principal of St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School in Dhaka.

“We want the government to allow increases in tuition fees at an acceptable level, so that teachers are not deprived and students are not burdened,” he said.  

Help UCA News to be independent
Dear reader,
Lent is the season during which catechumens make their final preparations to be welcomed into the Church.
Each year during Lent, UCA News presents the stories of people who will join the Church in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is their Lord. The stories of how women and men who will be baptized came to believe in Christ are inspirations for all of us as we prepare to celebrate the Church's chief feast.
Help us with your donations to bring such stories of faith that make a difference in the Church and society.
A small contribution of US$5 will support us continue our mission…
William J. Grimm
Publisher
UCA News
Asian Bishops
Latest News
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia