Private school complaints surge amid rising educational costs

Complaints regarding private schools have surged ahead of the new academic year. According to data from the platform Şikayetvar, complaints rose by 44 percent in August and by 53 percent within the last week.

Parents are reporting significant dissatisfaction not only with tuition fees but also with substantial additional costs. Key grievances include high prices for book and stationery packages, meal plans, school uniforms, and “general expenses.” In one notable instance, a parent of a student who won a 100 percent scholarship reported being asked for over 340,000 TL in additional costs for food, books, clothing, and miscellaneous fees.

Other reported issues include schools mandating that books only be purchased through specific channels, sudden price increases for those who miss early registration windows, and discrepancies in promised discounts or scholarship terms. Parents also cited difficulties regarding fee refunds following registration cancellations.