Cost of Education – How Much is It?
Anyone who thinks that the cost of education starts and ends with tuition fees hasn’t had the opportunity to send himself or another person to school. To successfully survive one school year, the person or people who are primarily responsible for a student’s educational expenses will need to prepare for several things. For the purposes of determining the real cost of education, let us try to look into several items that will make up its totality.
Tuition Fees and Other School Fees
Depending on what school the student is enrolled in, tuition fees and other school fees will vary in amount. From “free education” offered by public schools to the hundred of thousands charged by exclusive private schools, there are many rates in between. Miscellaneous fees which are sometimes controversial because of the purpose of charging them can also greatly vary among schools. In spite of the repeated advisory of the government that students in public schools will not need to pay any fee, collection of donations, project fees, and other fees still persists in some schools.
School Equipment, Books and Supplies
Some schools are already requiring the use of tablet in lieu of books so that is one cost to consider. For those who still maintain the use of books, parents will have to pay an average of PHP 500 per book. Multiply that by the number of subjects and you have the total book costs. Add to that the notebooks, everyday school supplies, art supplies, plus all the other supplies that may be required from time to time and you will have an estimate of how much will be needed for this.
Uniforms, Shoes, Bags and Other Clothing Expenses
Good quality shoes and bags are very expensive but those that last for a number of years are worth their price. Generic uniforms which can be bought from department stores are generally cheaper than made-to-order uniforms with logos and insignia required by schools. Underwear, socks, towels, and handkerchiefs do not exactly come cheap anymore. These small items sometimes have to be replaced within the school year as they are prone to loss.
Transportation, Gasoline, or Bus Service
Unless the school is within walking distance, there will be expenses incurred for transportation, gasoline, or bus service. The daily cost of taking public transportation will be determined by the current rate as determined by the distance and the number of rides required. Gasoline expense will of course be determined by distance and the number of trips made within the day. Bus service companies provide a fixed monthly rate per student-passenger based on distance as well.
Food
For the younger students, parents will have to prepare for their daily “baon” or packed meals. Older students will need to be given additional money allowance just in case they need to buy additional supplies from the school store or buy food during extended hours for practice or any other activity. Parents will need to find ways of providing tasty but healthy food to ensure that students are properly nourished.
Projects, Presentations, and Extra-Curricular Activities
The cost of this can go as low or as high as the requirements given by teachers. Group projects are especially challenging since it is almost always impossible to divide the cost among members equally unless everybody decides to contribute money so that one member can purchase all materials. School presentations will need costumes, props, and even technological gadgets to be completed. Students who sign in for membership in many clubs obviously will incur more expenses.
Tutoring and Special Classes
Because of the high degree of competition in schools today, many parents opt for tutoring classes, advanced classes, or remedial classes for their children. Even parents who teach their own children can equate the time they spend on this task with a monetary value equivalent to what they can possibly do or earn when they are not teaching their kids. Tutoring and special classes usually charge by the hour.
Loan Interests
Many parents see educational loans as part of their lives up until the youngest of the brood finishes schooling. There is accompanying cost to these loans in the form of interests. This can be avoided when schools offer easy payment schemes instead.
My Say
When all these expenses are considered, it becomes easier to understand why parents take it so hard when their children do not put their studies to heart. It is not only about the money but the blood and sweat that came with producing the money to pay for school expenses. Sending children to school is a parental responsibility but children will have the responsibility as well not to waste the learning opportunity given to them.
So back to the question, how much is the total cost of education per year? Add all of the applicable items above and you have your answer. Welcome back to school students!
