Durban - Parents of children attending Durban crèches and preschools are digging deep into their pockets to pay for what they believe is the best educational foundation for them, forking out fees sometimes in excess of R3 000 a month.
And this excludes extra-mural activities, stationery, toiletries and often also meals.
Parents, however, believe these fees are justified as their children are not only rewarded with a quality educational and social experience, but AstroTurfed play areas, small classes and technologically equipped, air-conditioned classrooms.
Other parents, however, believe high preschool fees are only a reflection of the suburb in which they are based.
Carryn Harris’s son attended play group when he was 18 months, and was later moved to a more structured preschool.
Harris feels he needs the stimulation and skills a preschool provides.
“This year his fees were R2 042 a month from 8am to 12pm with no meals included. And I know these fees will increase by 12 percent next year. Nothing is included in these fees except his care.
“All meals are to be packed and sent to school, and I also pay for aftercare and holiday care over and above this fee.”
Although she admits that the school fees are “a little high”, Harris said her boy was an only child and because she and her husband worked they could afford it.
“I think this fee is also influenced by the fact that we are in Hillcrest.”
A Westville father said he paid R2 900 a month for his 2-year-old to attend a private preschool. This only included care until noon, and excluded meals and stationery.
Tarryn Theunissen’s 3-year-old daughter attends Dippy Duck Daycare in Durban North. She pays R2 100 a month.
“This includes full-day care and three meals a day. Any other extras are for your own account, such as Action Ball and Kinder Kinetics.”
Theunissen added that she believed preschool fees were dictated by the school’s location.
Bianca Cruickshank, who lives on the Bluff, agreed.
“I am paying R1 150 per month for my 33-month-old daughter. This includes full daycare, breakfast, lunch and snacks. But I have heard from my colleagues (who are from Durban North) that they pay almost double what I pay, and their fees are only for a half day.”
Alvina Govender, from Kharwastan, is satisfied and happy with her child’s preschool, Happy Hours Educare Centre, and she pays only R300 a month for half day. She also pays additional fees for Monkeynastix, computer classes, speech and drama and other extramural activities.
Govender believes that some of the more expensive preschools could be justified in charging more if they included meals and aftercare. - The Mercury