Dear Board Members,
On January 25th, after I picked up my Y6 girl from school, I told her, "Your school has a story on the front page today." She said, "I know, I read it in school." She sounded stressed. Earlier, when I worked through her KGV admission, with the realization of the future tuition and the levy, she told me "I don't feel good." I am writing to tell you this personal story to raise one point: our children, your students, are also feeling the tension and stress of the rapidly-rising school fee imposed on their families.
The annual battle on school fee that are apparently won by ESF by getting parents to pay more, and lost by parents by not having their voices respected, are in fact causing collateral damage. We all lose in these battles. You may get your P&L sheet balanced in number by adding fee, but you are running red in something that your accountants cannot count, a big loss that you may not see right-a-way, and by the time you realize it will be too late: the school reputation, your students' sense of belonging, and what they will remember about their alma mater.
I am not using our children's feeling as a bargaining power. No sensible parents will do that. What I am asking is that you look at the whole issue using a holistic approach, rather than a short-sighted one. This is a good opportunity for you to demonstrate to your students and the society how complex problems can be solved sensibly, creatively, with the interest of all stakeholders fairly balanced; instead of taking advantage of the side that has the weakest negotiation power.
We use the word "stakeholders" very often. Let us not forget what our "stake" is. Our children's school experience is a core part of their lives. Let us all try our best to provide the best environment for them to grow, and at the same time, maintain ESF schools as schools that all graduates, new and old, past and future, will be proud of.
Sincerely.
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