South African parents may be faced with severe financial pressure in 2023 because of the rise in inflation and other economic factors. Parents feel divided between wanting to provide their children with the best education possible and hard financial rock.
These economic issues have a great impact on the way we spend our limited resources, and this means that parents will need to make the best possible plans for the year in advance when selecting a school.
Many parents might already be thinking about changing schools by the end of 2022.
South African parents are also worried about the state of education in the country. An Ipsos survey found that 72% of parents do not think highly of the quality of education in the country.
‘’A child’s school career is crucial to their success later in life,’’ says Natasha Vellieux, Financial Manager at SPARK Schools.
“Money is often the biggest obstacle to choosing the right school even when parents have found schools where the needs of their children are best met. School fees can range from R8000 to R20 000 per year for government schools, while private school fees range anywhere from R30 000 to R100 000 or more .’’
If you are not happy with the education your child is receiving, look around and do a bit of investigating about what value you are getting for your tuition” Vellieux says.
Parents also need to look at the hidden fees in schooling options. Things like uniforms, stationary, and textbooks, technology, extra-mural activities, field trips and lunches.
Vellieux offers parents the following advice when choosing schools:
- Visit the School: When you find a school that seems like a good fit for your child, it is a good idea to visit to see the campus and meet staff. You should be allowed to visit with the principal, teachers, and other parents to get a good idea of what the expectations are for parent involvement, how faculty and staff relate to scholars and what the overall learning environment looks like.
- Ask Questions: Before your school visit, prepare some questions to ask. Some good questions include: How are teachers trained, supported and monitored? How are behaviour problems handled at the school? How much homework is given to scholars?
- School Reputation: Look for schools with a good reputation.
- Costs: Interrogate the costs involved, taking into account transportation and other hidden costs.
Vellieux says SPARK Schools offer an alternative to price-conscious parents who want excellent schooling for their children. “We believe all children have the right to quality education at affordable rates. Our fees are comparable to those of public schools, and we aim to limit additional costs to parents.”
“Also, we do not screen scholars. Our mission is to provide affordable, globally competitive education to those who may previously have been unable to access this kind of education,” Villieux says.
