A REDLANDS parent has called on Ormiston College to follow the lead of other private schools and reduce fees for term two as students learn from home during the coronavirus crisis.
The parent, who declined to be named, said a 15 to 25 per cent drop in fees was reasonable as he felt online learning was a significant reduction in the usual classroom service provided to his children.
His request comes after several private schools, including St Joseph's Nudgee College, Churchie and Trinity Lutheran College on the Gold Coast, reduced fees this term to help parents deal with the fallout from coronavirus.
"The majority of private schools are dropping their fees because they recognise the services being provided are greatly reduced and the expenses of the school are going down," he said.
"I know there are a lot of very upset parents.
"I have seen letters from other schools offering anywhere from 10 per cent through to 25 per cent off. I have heard of 30 per cent and 50 per cent in other cases.
"I would have thought somewhere around the 15 to 25 per cent mark would have been reasonable and would actually get the support of the school community behind Ormiston."
College principal Brett Webster said fee reductions and other assistance measures were being aimed at families that had been hit hardest by the virus crisis.
He said fee statements were issued several weeks ago, before other schools, and the COVID-19 situation had changed significantly since then.
"At the time, Ormiston College immediately committed to assist every family experiencing financial hardship, on a case by case basis, to help them remain a part of the Ormiston College community," Mr Webster said.
"This support from the college to our families may extend beyond an arbitrary discount for Term 2.
"In addition, the college has made very clear its intention to monitor the COVID-19 situation, and consider the possibility of changed fee levels in the future when we are better informed about the actual impact on schools, on our college families and whether the COVID-19 situation is likely to be short-lived or ongoing."
The parent said he would not be pulling his kids out of the school but would consider his options at the end of the year.
"It is a bit hard to uproot children so close to the start of a new term," he said.
"Given the current situation where schools are still trying to develop their education model moving forward, I think it is probably a bit too late to uproot children right now.
"I think it would be detrimental to their education. Based on that we won't be pulling our children out right now but we will certainly be considering that further down the track, probably at the end of the school year."
Mr Webster said the school had received a large amount of positive feedback from parents about learning arrangements for term two.
The school would still provide a quality learning experience online given it was already using a wide range of technology in classroom lessons.
"We are determined to see that Ormiston College students continue to learn well despite the circumstances that schools face in the weeks ahead," Mr Webster said.
"Our college is about its people and ... I believe we have confidence in each other and in the life-long value that an Ormiston College education represents.
"Given this, and the fact that we are already assisting every family to remain at their college, I think our families will see past a small temporary discount on a term's fees elsewhere."
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