Amman - With the start of every school year, the issue of the cost of education in private schools resurfaces, given the multiplicity and increase in expenses and obligations placed on families, starting with tuition fees and registration fees, and extending to transportation, book, and activity costs, alongside the annual increases schools set according to the nature of their services and programs.
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The value of these costs varies from one school to another, given differences in educational programs and services offered, and the nature of the school environment and resources available, which makes families' experience of bearing private education costs different depending on which school they choose and what services it provides.
This raises a fundamental question: to what extent does the cost of education in private schools, including tuition, annual increases, registration, transportation, activity, and book fees, correspond to the level and quality of the educational and pedagogical services provided to students, and what factors explain the variation in these costs between schools?
In this regard, education experts see a disparity among schools in their ability to translate the fees they charge into services and real educational value that benefits students, noting that a school classification system based on a set of criteria linked to the quality of educational services could help address part of this problem, by providing clearer indicators that help families evaluate a school before deciding to enroll, and linking cost more closely to the level of services and quality provided.
In separate interviews with "Al-Ghad," they explained that the cost of education in private schools is large, multiple, and varied compared to other sectors, noting that this cost constitutes a financial burden on the majority of parents.
They explained that the variation in fees between schools is linked to a set of factors, most notably teacher salaries, which vary significantly from one school to another, equipment and facilities, the type of curricula and educational programs, laboratories, sports facilities, technology, activities, services and school transportation, as well as the type of certificate and educational program the school offers, whether local or international. They noted that the size of investment in a school is also reflected in its cost; some schools have limited investments, while others have had large sums invested in them by their owners, and consequently operating costs and the nature of services provided differ, which is reflected in fee values.
According to "Paragraph (F) of Article 10" of the Licensing System for Private and Foreign Educational Institutions No. 87 of 2023, "an educational institution is prohibited from increasing school fees except with the Ministry's approval and not exceeding the annual inflation rate."
Meanwhile, Paragraph (B) of Article 12 of the same regulation states that "a student's file may not be withheld if they wish to transfer to another educational institution due to non-payment of fees," while Paragraph (C) of the same article states that "depriving a student of compulsory education during the school year for any reason whatsoever is prohibited."
Private Schools: An Important Component of the Education Sector
In this context, President of the Private Schools Owners Association Munther Al-Sourani said that private schools, despite the scale of investments in them, have become over recent years an important component of the education sector, noting that they play key roles, serving as a strong support for public education and contributing significantly to boosting economic activity.
He explained that the cost of education in the private school sector is large, multiple, and varied compared to other sectors, for many reasons and factors, noting that this cost constitutes a financial burden on the majority of parents, given the multiple financial obligations arising from studying at private schools.
He noted that these obligations are not limited to school fees, but other costs are added to them, including school uniforms and books, whether national or international, transportation, and various activities, noting that the proportion and value of these costs vary from one school to another and from one region to another.
He added that private schools themselves bear significant financial obligations, whether the schools operate in rented or non-rented buildings, in addition to the scale of salaries, taxes, fines, and annual increases for their staff, which are not necessarily matched by a similar rise in fees, alongside costs linked to the services schools provide to students, and their quality, whether educational or pedagogical.
He added that the level of these services differs from one school to another, depending on location, strength of infrastructure, and available resources, noting that there are important factors explaining the rise or fall in the cost of education, most notably the school's driving capital, salary levels, infrastructure, in addition to the availability of activities, services, and privileges schools offer to parents and students.
He affirmed that private schools in various governorates compete among themselves to be the best, and that this competition is linked to the nature of the educational and pedagogical services they provide and the resources they offer to students and parents.
A Gap in Fees
For his part, education expert Mohammad Abu Amara said the issue of private school fees resurfaces at the start of every school year, but discussion of it must take into account the great variation among private schools in terms of the nature of services they provide and the level of investment in them, and consequently the difference in their costs and fees.
He explained that some schools charge modest fees not exceeding 500 dinars, while other schools' fees reach thousands of dinars, and may reach tens of thousands annually, noting that a parent has room to choose the school that suits their financial means, their children's needs, and their geographic location.
He noted that part of the problem that recurs annually is linked to some parents choosing schools that don't suit their financial capabilities, such as a middle-income parent choosing a high-cost international school, then feeling the financial burden rising throughout the year, when they could have chosen another school, whether national or international, with lower fees more compatible with their means.
He attributed the variation in fees between schools to a set of factors, most notably teacher salaries, which vary significantly from one school to another, equipment and facilities, the type of curricula and educational programs, laboratories, sports facilities, technology, activities, services, and school transportation, as well as the type of certificate and educational program the school offers, whether local or international.
He noted that the size of investment in a school is also reflected in its cost; some schools have limited investments, while others have had large sums invested in them by their owners, and consequently operating costs and the nature of services provided differ, which is reflected in fee values.
He added that private schools are commercial investments, and their primary goal is to achieve profit alongside delivering an educational mission, and this does not detract from investing in education, noting that an investor naturally seeks to recover capital and achieve a return on investment within a certain period, which is reflected in the nature of fees at schools with large investments.
He noted that differences are not limited to tuition fees, as they also include the costs of textbooks, uniforms, health insurance, and some services and activities, noting that book prices, for example, vary greatly depending on the type of curriculum, as the cost of a single book in some international curricula may reach about $200, while national books are subsidized and much cheaper.
He explained that some schools also offer additional services and facilities, such as swimming pools, theaters, specialized playing fields, and others, which involve high investment and operating costs, explaining part of the variation in fees between schools.
He affirmed the importance of parents studying, before enrolling their children, the total cost of education, and that comparison should not be limited to the annual installment, but should include registration, transportation, book, and activity fees and other costs, and that all fees should be clear and disclosed before enrollment, so that the choice matches the family's financial means, allowing them to continue at the school without the financial burden turning into a permanent source of complaint or feeling of pressure.
A Complement to Public Education
For his part, education expert Ayesh Al-Nawaiseh viewed private education as having become a complement to public education in various countries around the world, and even representing a primary choice for some families, in search of educational and pedagogical quality given the pressures facing public schools, including overcrowding, which places parents under financial burdens to secure the requirements for enrolling their children in private schools.
He continued that schools vary in their ability to translate the fees they charge into services and real educational value reflected in students, noting that some high fees are justified when reflected in infrastructure, such as laboratories, libraries, smart classrooms, and sports facilities, or in attracting qualified human resources through better salaries and benefits, which helps reduce the student-to-teacher ratio and increase the level of individual attention and academic and behavioral follow-up.
He added that teaching international programs and curricula, such as the International Baccalaureate and British and American curricula, sometimes imposes additional operational, licensing, and examination costs, as well as costs for continuous professional development and enrichment activities. Some international schools also attract foreign teachers with certain expertise and specializations, which raises hiring costs and the benefits provided to them, which in turn is reflected in the value of tuition fees.
He noted that a school's location also plays a role in determining cost, as schools located in upscale areas bear high costs for land and rent, alongside costs for facilities and services, such as swimming pools, theaters, playing fields, and transportation fleets, as well as differences in the student-to-teacher ratio depending on the educational stage.
On the other hand, Al-Nawaiseh acknowledges that there is sometimes a gap between what families pay and what they actually receive in terms of educational services, explaining that some prestigious schools may impose high fees based on their reputation and historical name more than on their current level of performance, given the difficulty families face in transparently measuring educational quality and comparing it to cost.
He affirmed that high cost does not necessarily mean high quality, noting the existence of moderately-priced schools that may excel academically and pedagogically over higher-cost schools, which confirms that high cost is not a sufficient condition to guarantee quality, and that the final outcome depends significantly on educational management, staff competence, guidance, and follow-up.
Regarding annual fee increases, he believes they may be partially justified when linked to rising inflation, salaries, and rents, but they become unjustified when their impact exceeds what's reflected in the educational process, or when scattered fees accumulate, such as registration, activities, books, and trips, raising the actual cost on families beyond the announced fees.
He considered that a school classification system, based on a set of criteria linked to the quality of educational services, could help address part of this problem, by providing clearer indicators that help families evaluate a school before deciding to enroll, and linking cost more closely to the level of services and quality provided.
Resource: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Ala' Madh'har
