The cost of sending a child to private schools in Chennai has surged dramatically, leaving parents grappling with an overwhelming financial burden. Over the past three years, fees have nearly tripled, forcing families to make significant sacrifices to ensure their children receive an education.
Many parents are forced to dip into their savings, take out loans, and even postpone retirement to cover the escalating costs. Middle-income and lower-middle-income families across the city are feeling the strain, with school fees, uniforms, books, shoes, and extracurricular activities consuming an ever-increasing portion of their household budgets. This financial pressure is felt across all grade levels, from Class I to Class XII.
Sundar G, a parent from Sholinganallur, described the struggle: “We are struggling to save for the future as our savings are being used up for school fees. Last year, the school fee was ₹66,500, and this year I had to pay ₹79,500. On top of that, we also have to pay for extracurricular activities, sports, annual day events, and Olympiads, which is another ₹5,000 each year.”
Aishwarya Ganesan, a mother of two high school sons, has resorted to taking out loans to finance their education. “I cannot afford to retire now though I’m 58,” she lamented.
While parents are facing immense financial strain, they are also concerned about the lack of improvement in education quality to match the rising fees. Sumathi Damodaran from RA Puram expressed frustration: “When I check my son’s English notebooks, there are a lot of spelling errors. When I brought it up during a parent-teacher meeting, the teacher yelled at me instead.”
Many parents are supplementing their children’s education with private tuitions, adding another layer of expense. Vijayalakshmi G, whose son is in Class VI, shared: “My son’s English isn’t improving. He tells me that his teacher teaches English in Tamil. That’s why I’ve had to enrol him in tuition classes, which is another expense.”
The financial burden has driven some parents to seek more affordable alternatives. Shyamala Dinakaran, a single parent from Vadapalani, enrolled her daughter at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar. She is not alone; many families are considering government schools as a viable option.
Revathi Sundar recently visited a government higher secondary school in Hasthinapuram and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of education and attention given to students. “I was amazed by how attentive the teachers were. When a student doesn’t come to school, they immediately check with the parents. My son is in class IX, and I am seriously considering enrolling him in a government school for Class XI,” she shared.
The Tamil Nadu government has a framework in place to regulate school fees through the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Fee Determination Committee. Established under the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fees) Act, 2009, the committee verifies and approves fee structures proposed by private schools. Each school must submit a fee hike proposal with supporting financial documents, which the committee reviews to prevent profiteering.
However, parents and the president of the Tamil Nadu Parents Teachers Welfare Association, S Arunmaithan, note that fee hikes are becoming more frequent. “Initially, the fee hike was allowed once in three years, but now fees rise each year,” said Arunmaithan.
The rapid escalation of school fees in Chennai is putting a severe strain on families, forcing them to make difficult financial decisions. While the government has measures in place to regulate fees, parents are demanding greater transparency and accountability to ensure that rising costs are accompanied by a commensurate improvement in education quality.
