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Young parents struggle with kindergarten fees

By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-15 11:10

Children are painting sculpture models at an art class in a kindergarten in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, June 8, 2009. [Asianewsphoto]

Raising children today is an expensive proposition for most young parents in China, who worry about saving for kindergartens that cost even more than a college tuition.

Recently, more than 60 public kindergartens in Nanjing of Jiangsu province applied to local authorities to increase their child care fees from 480 yuan ($70) per month to 600 yuan, to meet operation costs.

Young parents expressed their frustration with the ever-growing costs of kindergarten.

"That's too expensive. It means I'll pay more than 6,000 yuan each year for my child, while current college tuition is just about 4,000 to 5,000 yuan. How could this be fair?" said a Nanjing housewife surnamed Zhang, 31, whose 3-year-old daughter is ready to attend kindergarten.

The family of three lives on her husband's income, about 6,000 yuan per month, she said.

"In addition to the child-care fee, daily necessities, clothes, music lessons... all of this costs money," she said. "My husband and I often feel the stress. I can't imagine how poor families can survive this."

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In Nanjing, the per capita disposable monthly income last year is about 1,900 yuan. Most often, families send their children to the inexpensive public kindergartens instead of the higher-priced private kindergartens.

"My husband and I began to save money for our baby after our marriage," said a Tianjin-based woman Xiao Zheng, 26, who has a 3-month-old boy.

"Because it costs too much to raise a child these days. The average cost for kindergarten is about 1,000-1,500 yuan per month."

"That's just the common-level public kindergartens' price. High-level kindergartens cost more," she said.

Xiao's income is just less than 3,000 yuan per month.

The high kindergartens fees often result in a large number of children who drop out, especially those from families with limited means. The State Council launched a campaign to develop preschool education in 2003, stating then that the kindergarten enrollment rate goal was 55 percent by 2007.

But figures showed that the enrollment rate in 2007 was about 44.6 percent.

According to a survey of 3,115 people by Sina.com last year, some 97.3 percent believe that the cost of preschool education is too high.

When asked about solutions for the high cost, 64.2 percent said government should attach greater importance to preschool education and expand money input. Some 42.2 percent said government should strengthen the management of preschool education and regulate fees and charges.

So far, preschool education is not a part of the country's compulsory education system, which means less funding and policy support, experts said.

Statistics show the country's preschool education investment only accounts for 1.3 percent of the entire public education investment last year. However, the world average level is 3.8 percent. About 14 countries in Europe exceed 10 percent.

"Preschool education, especially the education of children between 3 and 6 years old is very important for children's growth and helps shape their personalities in the future. But it is often overlooked by a broader discussion on education," said Huang Zheng, an expert from China Preschool Education Association. "Government should maintain equal access to quality preschool education and reduce dropout rates."