Some private schools decided to gradually raise their tuition fees by 30 percent and kept teachers' salaries unchanged because, the school officials said, they did not receive official letters calling for raising teachers' salaries to SR5,600. Some private schools in different regions formed a group and decided to enact a 15-percent tuition fee increase this year and in 2012, when the salary increases will be implemented, sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. The decision to increase fees in two steps was made so “parents won't be surprised next year by the 30-percent increase,” a source said. Private schools are still waiting for a detailed explanation of the procedure to implement the announcement to raise male and female teachers' salaries, said Eng. Yousef Al-Shafi, chairman of the National Committee for Private Education and Training at the Council of Saudi Chambers. He, however, said that “the decision to raise tuition fees had nothing to do with the decision to raise teachers' salary.” Political turbulence in some Arab countries was the reason for some private schools to increase their tuition fees and wages, Engineer Al-Shafi said. “Many Gulf countries pay higher salaries to private schools' teachers,” he said. “We're doing the same, but the average tuition fees in our private schools are less than they are in Jordan, Turkey and Egypt.” Muhammad Al-Dakheeni, spokesman of the Ministry of Education, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the ministry is only responsible for issuing licenses to private schools and monitoring their educational performance. __
