ONE-hundred-and-twenty-seven (127) parents who have children attending Mae’s Schools in Georgetown have signed an Online Petition against the massive fee hike the school announced recently.

The petition was submitted to Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson on Monday by Andrea Bryan-Garner, a parent, on behalf of the rest of parents.
“The parents of Mae’s Schools register our strong disagreement and opposition to the imposition of excessive fee hikes of up to 42%. While we are not against raising the price of fees as it is the prerogative of any business, we think it should be reasonable and in keeping with the state of our economy,” the petition said.

It sought to remind the authorities that the school’s administrator was against VAT last year, and quoted her as saying: “Private school parents encompass a diverse social landscape, from market vendors to business owners to corporate executives – seemingly a group that has nothing in common, save for an overwhelming desire to provide the very best opportunities for their children. In order to achieve this goal, significant sacrifices are already being made by most to meet tuition obligations.”

The petition said parents now feel coerced into signing and submitting letters due April 30 to secure a space for their child in September, when it is a known fact that other private schools may already be full or have already closed registration, leaving parents at a disadvantage.

Also worthy of note, the petition says, is that letters indicating whether they intend to continue at Mae’s were already submitted before school closed for Easter. “This would lead us to believe that these duplicate letters are to provide evidence to the Ministry that parents are not against the fee hike,” Bryan-Garner says in the petition, adding:
“This is not the case. Some parents, especially those in the higher levels, may not be able to move their children at this time due to various circumstances: Proximity to work, home, splitting up of siblings who may be in secondary and primary, preparing for national exams etc. In addition, we are all considering the impact of a move on our children, many of whom have already established close bonds with their friends and teachers.

“It is with the foregoing concerns in mind that the parents are petitioning for a reduction in the percentage increase to under 14 per cent across-the-board, a face-to-face meeting with affected parents and the formation or resuscitation of a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at the school.