Impact of Recession/High Taxes In Gulf, Local Schools Surge in Admissions of NRI Kids
Impact of Recession/High Taxes In Gulf, Local Schools Surge in Admissions of NRI Kids- With new laws Saudi Arabia Is Making Indians Come Back And Try To Begin A Fresh Life Back home
Mangaluru: Life is not a ‘Bed of Roses’ in Gulf countries anymore, especially in Saudi Arabia, because of recession hitting many Indian families who have migrated there for better opportunities and better life. For those Indians who have been in the Gulf countries for decades earning big bucks are not the ones been affected by the recession and other stern rules- but those Indians who have migrated to Gulf few years ago are bearing the brunt of all these growing issues in the Gulf. And as a result many Indian families along with their children are returning back to India, and for that matter, many have also returned to their hometown-Mangaluru.
And as a result many leading schools in Mangaluru are witnessing a surge in admission applications as recession-hit Mangalorean families in the Gulf countries are heading back home. Uncertain about their long-term prospects in the Gulf and gripped by a growing sense of economic insecurity, non-resident Mangaloreans are either coming back for good or are forced to clip expenses by sending back spouses and children, triggering the admission rush. While school officials maintain that a clear picture on the number of non-resident Indian applications will emerge during admissions, a few schools had increased the number of divisions considering the demand for seats.
The trickle of Indian workers sending away their families from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries is giving rise to fears that it could turn into a tide in the near future. No official figures are available on how many non-resident Indians are returning home, neither in India nor in Saudi Arabia. But, several schools in the City have reported sudden spurt in the numbers of admissions of the wards of Gulf NRIs, who have come back from Saudi/Gulf recently.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Sr Melissa AC-Principal of Mount Carmel Central School, Mary Hill-Mangaluru said, ” Recently during admission time we had received admission-related enquiries more than previous year’s. Some parents are quite frank and tell us that they are afraid of losing their jobs in the Gulf and want to ensure a safe educational future for their kids by returning them back home. This year we admitted nearly 40 NRI students, even though they were bit late in applying for the seats, but we managed to accommodate them considering the plight faced by their parents in Gulf. It’s absolutely true that many Gulf parents from Mangaluru are moving their children back to their homeland. And such children are either in the care of their mother, grandparents or relatives. Narrating their story, many parents said that education was getting expensive in the Gulf, so the only option left for them was to shift their children back and educate them in institutions here”
Ms Grace Noronha- Principal of St Aloysius Gonzaga CBSE School, Mangaluru said, ” NRI parents from Gulf when they came to our school for admissions said that living in Saudi Arabia with families was becoming increasingly expensive, so many of them are sending them to India. Education expenses have increased enormously recently in the Gulf they said. The most cumbersome is ‘Residence Fee’ that is now being charged per person annually as against per family earlier. Therefore, bigger the family, more expensive it is to stay. And since there is no way for an averagely paid worker to keep his family as he/she has to pay house rent, meet expenses of food, provide education and also pay new levies, so many of these NRI parents had opted for admissions at our School, which we managed to oblige. We had about 60 NRI children admissions this year, way more than last year.”
Ms Mercy Rego-Principal of TCIS CBSE School, Adyar-Mangaluru said, ” Even though we didn’t admit any Gulf NRI children this year at our school, but late after admissions were complete, we had quite a few inquiries from Gulf parents for admissions but we promised that we will admit them if there is a possibility to do so, or for sure, we will admit them next year, considering their problems”.
Sources revealed that many NRI parents preferred CBSE education schools, therefore many such school sin the City had an increase in the number of applications from that of the previous year. Another Headmistress confirming the rush for admissions from families returning from the Gulf said, “Every day, we had five or six parents coming to the school seeking admission for their children, and we had already conducted two entrance examinations to select the students, and NRI children have been admitted ”. Few other schools also wanted to admit NRI kids but were helpless in admitting new students owing to infrastructural constraints.
Gulf NRI parent, Ms Lavina P, mother of Susan {name changed} who had got admission for her daughter at Mount Carmel Central School said, ” What is going on in Saudi/Gulf countries is forced separation of families which will have a negative impact on the social and economic fabric. The government had increased the education fees, and also we are forced to pay a ‘Residence Fee’ for each person living in the house in Saudi. We are four in our family-myself, my husband and two of our kids. Since only my husband works, we had no other option than to come back to Mangaluru. My kids miss their dad very dearly. Many Indians parents in Gulf are in disarray. Many have little or no savings at all. Getting education is a priority which cannot be put off.”
NRI Mustafa, who had admitted his son in a CBSE school here speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “The school management was kind enough to waive certain admission and concessions on school fees, for which I am very much thankful. Since it is a distressed situation for the NRIs, If other schools also waive off admission and other fees, it would help the Gulf returnees tide over the difficult times. The government should also step in and help the Gulf returnees and their children.
It is learnt that nearly 30 lakh Indians are engaged in various sectors in Saudi. Of these, people from Kerala form the largest chunk of 40%, followed by 20 to 25% from Telangana, and other percentage from other Indian States. Saudi government has started levying fee on various services it offers to expatriate population. The new ‘expatriate dependant fee’, levied by Saudi government from 1 July, has set alarm bells ringing forcing Indians NRI workers, who make up the largest expatriate community in the kingdom to consider returning to India.
Note: Pictures for Illustration Only