Wang Yuanyuan

    Tuition fees of the city’s private kindergartens increased by nearly 30 percent this semester compared with the same period of last year.

    “My son’s kindergarten has increased its fees three times since 2009 and is now about 5,450 yuan (US$865) per month, 1,200 more than last year,” said a woman surnamed Zhang.

    Some parents also said the costs of uniforms, health examinations and other training were all increased after the Spring Festival.

    “We had to spend nearly 15,000 yuan on tuition fees for a semester, which is much more expensive than schools or universities. My son’s kindergarten is just a regular one. The price will be doubled if I choose a high-end school with international courses,” said Zhang.

    Many parents did not know why they had to charge so much for kindergartens. “We don’t expect the kindergartens to have advanced courses or training. We hope it is just a place where children can be safe while learning through games, painting and singing. I don’t think so-called English teaching is necessary for such a young child. It makes no sense that tuition fees for kindergartens are three times higher than those at universities,” said another parent called Lu Min.

    Many kindergartens said they had to increase the fees due to sharp increases in running costs.

    “The costs of labor, rent, food and facilities have increased sharply over recent years, so we had to increase our tuition fees as private kindergartens do not receive government subsidies,” said Chen Juan, principal of Ledujuan Kindergarten in Bao’an District.

    Meanwhile, many kindergartens have also been forced to increase their fees due to sharp increases in school bus operation. “The city enforced stricter rules on school buses, so many schools had to invest a large amount of money to maintain their operation,” said Chen.