Huge surge in complaints against private schools: Parents are distressed!

The resolution platform Sikayetvar has analyzed the complaints submitted to them regarding private schools over the last week. It has emerged that there has been an 1100 percent increase in complaints against private schools with the start of the early registration period. The issue parents complained about the most was the exorbitant increases in tuition fees.

Parents stated that they are uncomfortable with private schools not limiting themselves to just tuition fees, but also demanding high amounts for additional services such as books, uniforms, and meals. Furthermore, parents who canceled their students' registrations expressed that they experienced difficulties in getting the fees they paid refunded.

PHYSICAL FACILITIES ARE INADEQUATE  

Despite the high fees they pay, parents complained about the inadequacy of basic physical facilities in some private schools, such as classrooms, laboratories, and libraries. In addition to this, the frequent turnover of teachers or their lack of experience has led to serious concerns regarding the quality of education.

Disruptions in the communication established by school administrations with parents were also among the complaints. Parents stated that they had difficulty finding someone to address their problems and that this situation made the resolution processes even more difficult. 

Some of the complaints reaching Sikayetvar on the subject were listed as follows:

“The meal fee, for which we paid 50 thousand TL last year, has become 100 thousand TL this year with a 100 percent hike. An extra payment of 9 thousand TL in 2023, 16 thousand 500 TL in 2024, and 49 thousand 500 TL this year is being demanded under the name of a mandatory study fee, even though we did not receive study services, which started 2 years ago. I wonder with what percentage of a hike this price is being pulled from 16 thousand 500 TL to 49 thousand 500 TL?"

“My son is in the 5th grade. In 2024, I paid a total of 169,738 TL, consisting of 90 thousand 738 TL for tuition, 59 thousand 500 TL for meals, and 19 thousand 500 TL for study fees. For 2025, they issued a total fee of 290 thousand 237 TL on the school's system, consisting of 140 thousand 737 TL for tuition, 100 thousand TL for meals, and 49 thousand 500 TL for study fees. This is a 70.9 percent hike from 2024 to 2025. This is a hike far above the 55 percent hike determined by our state. They are trying to get away with this management method by naming a part of the fee as study fees and applying exorbitant hikes on top of that. My child does not attend any extra study sessions outside of the school's class hours. A 71 percent price increase has not occurred in any sector. It is unacceptable"

“I have two sons studying at a private school. The price for 1 child, which we registered for 165 thousand under early registration, has risen to 330 thousand TL. Specifically; while they have the right to increase the tuition fee, which was 89 thousand TL last year, by 54.8 percent according to the legislation, they have increased it by 100 percent. Again, they should have increased the study fee, which was 19 thousand 500 TL, by 49.8 percent according to the legislation, but they increased it by 150 percent. As for the meal fee, they set the fee, which was 60 thousand TL last year, at 100 thousand TL this year. In my meeting with the school principal on 06.01.2025, I requested my fee objection and specifically that the tuition fee and study fee mentioned in the regulation be brought to the price determined by the legislation. It is unthinkable for an institution affiliated with the Ministry of National Education to act arbitrarily in this way and demand fees contrary to the legislation."

"No employee in our country received the approximately 100 percent hike applied for our child's 2nd-grade registration renewal. Unfortunately, families are being victimized. Looking at the current complaints, it is seen that these astronomical increases are being applied all across Turkey."

"The same price should be applied to all families who receive the same education and want to renew their registration during the same early registration renewal period. A price policy that varies between 300 thousand TL and 420 thousand TL is being applied in the registration renewal price offers presented to families. For students receiving the same education in the same class, the same price should be applied while they have a long educational process ahead of them, and families should be able to see their way forward. Furthermore, it has emerged that students are registered at much lower prices than those offered to existing students when registering from intermediate grades. While priority should be given to existing students, offering very low prices to new registrations creates distrust in the institution, especially considering that education is a long process."

"I enrolled my son in kindergarten last year for 193 thousand TL. When we went for early registration this year, the price that came before us was 393 thousand TL because it was a gradual transition. Our reactions to the exorbitant price increase were met with a style of 'We can hike as much as we want, don't enroll.' The clause added to the 2025 MEB regulation stating that exorbitant prices will not be applied in gradual transitions is being ignored. It is a real shame that they see our children not as education, but as a commercial enterprise; while the minimum wage increased by 30 percent, the dollar exchange rate has increased by 2 liras since last year, but private school prices have increased by 105 percent. It is truly a shame now."  

News Source: 12punto