Tutorial Schools Reduce Tuition Fees, in Times of Crisis & Tax Evasion

For some KTG readers, this may be an unknown aspect of the so-called “free education system” in Greece: The private tutorial schools for public high school students. A well-established system of tutorial classes that enables Greek students to pass exams and enter universities. A system that was established some decades ago for several reasons: 1) to absorb unemployed teachers 2) to supply students with knowledge when school classes were overcrowded and teachers were unable to cope with 45-50 children 3) to supply students with knowledge that was demanded to pass university exams, knowledge that was not provided at the public schools though.

Since decades, it has been unthinkable for a high school student targeting university entrance not to attend such tutorial classes. S/he had no chance to pass university exams. Only very brilliant students could do it, through studing alone.

This system has cost parents several thousands of euro per year. It had been calculated that a high school student had to attend such tutorial for at least two years to be able to come up with the exams demands.

Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, but also Ancient Greek and Latin, essay writing, text analysis, foreign languages: these were and are the main courses for which Greek parents pay approximately 4,000 euro per year to enable thier children become doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers, and teachers, even hospital or administrative personnel. Attending tutorial classes is a MUST.

Tutorial teachers are organized and have fixed prices for the services they offer to aspiring scientists and personnel of all kinds and of professional directions.

This year, the austerity year No 5, the Association of Tutorial Teachers decided to reduce the tuition fees by 15% as the economic crisis and the high unemployment does not hinder parents to push their children to university studies. Last year, tutition fees had dropped by 15%-20%.

An Association announcement on Tuesday gave the proposed tuition price list for the school year 2012-2013 and for each class of the high school.

 Annual  tuition for High School class C (the last school class before the exams) went down to 3,750 euro  from 4,070 euro in 2011.

For class B 3,060-3,560 euro depending on the science direction (philology or science)

For class A, 2,840 euro.

“Of course, every tutorial school can adhust these prices according to the needs,” added the Association statement.

Tax Evasion? Tax Evasion…

A friend of mine, with a teenager child to join the university entrance exams in May 2013, thought she would get a satisfying reduction, should she pay in advance the annual amount.  In August, i.e. before the tuition fees reduction, she paid a total of 3,200 euro to the tutorial school.

Assuming the tutorial classes last more or less 10 months,  the amount the school receives on monthly basis is 320 euro.

Two days ago, she got incredible angry, after she read the amount on the receipt issued by the school for September: 50 euro!

Of course, my friend would need the receipts for her own income tax declaration for next year. Now, she is considering to complaint for the school at the Finance Ministry.

I told her,  it’s not her duty to catch tax dodgers, but the duty of the state to change the mentality and catch and punish tax evaders. And make the taxation system more just.

PS If one adds the amounts paid for tutorial schools and the taxes spent on public schools and teaching personnel in order to give our children proper supplies for the future, the “free education” in Greece is not so free of charge, after all.

If you have time add the extra annual expenses you give to health care, medical and dental treatments per year (“fakelaki” included)

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