A scandal has erupted at a private college in Aktobe over a sharp increase in tuition fees, with prices for some programs nearly doubling, the website infohub.kz reports.
Students say no one warned them in advance about the looming price hike, and they consider the administration's explanations unfounded.
"We're told we have to buy equipment and other materials, we're raising teachers' salaries, inflation... But inflation is actually 9.8%. And they raised our prices by 93%. We don't agree with this, because for that kind of money you could study at a university, not at a college like this," said student Dinara Koishygulova.
Tuition rose especially sharply for medical specialties: where students paid 370,000 tenge last year, they now pay 550,000. Students admit the jump came as an unpleasant surprise. Many chose the college precisely because of its affordable cost, and now believe that for such money they could get an education at a private university.
However, simply withdrawing their documents and leaving is not possible, according to the students: the college demands that they first pay tuition for the current period. The increase has affected not only recent school graduates but also those in the evening program who combine their studies with work.
The administration attributes the new rates to rising costs and the fact that a private educational institution must support itself. At the same time, management insists that the payment terms are set out in the contract students sign upon enrollment.
"Yes, there has indeed been an increase. It's tied to current market conditions. Since we are a private college, we support ourselves. When students enroll, we give them a contract in two languages. The relevant clauses set out these terms," said Gulnaz Omarova, deputy director of the Bolashak Higher Multidisciplinary College.