The school status syndrome
This opinion piece reflects on the societal pressure to enroll children in elite, expensive private schools. The author questions whether the focus on infrastructure and status truly contributes to a child's wisdom and character.
Why it matters
It addresses the cultural obsession with 'status' in education and the financial burden it places on middle-class families.
The school status syndrome left While elite schools may offer top facilities and infrastructure by charging high fees, it is important to remember that education is about cultivating wisdom and moulding character. Getty Images/Istock photo https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/xpovu4/article71558546.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/IMG_Pay_education_fees_b_2_1_M8DNLSRS.jpg istock Pay education fees by India Rupee money health The craze for snazzy private institutions After nine years, I can still vividly recall the day I took my three-year-old son to be admitted to an elite school on the outskirts of a prominent town in Tamil Nadu. My reason for choosing a premium school reflected the thoughts of most of the middle- and upper-middle-class lot in the country: to provide everything to our offspring that we think we missed out on during our school days.
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