US preschool fees touch Rs 9 lakh, equal to a compact SUV price in India. Here's what kids get

An Indian content creator's video highlighting the cost of preschool education in the United States has sparked discussions online after she revealed that private preschool fees for her two-year-old daughter can go up to nearly Rs 9 lakh annually.

Sonal Chaudhary, an Indian mother based in Simsbury, Connecticut, shared her experience of visiting a private preschool while exploring admission options for her daughter Bani.

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Watch the reel here

Preschool offers personalised learning with small class size

During her visit, Sonal met a staff member named Cheryl, who explained the preschool's programme structure, activities and teaching approach.

One of the details that caught Sonal's attention was the teacher-to-child ratio. According to the preschool, two teachers are assigned to a group of eight children, allowing more individual attention.

Cheryl also showed Sonal the classroom setup and explained that students participate in activities including singing, yoga, creative play and early learning exercises aimed at supporting their development.

Private preschool fees reach Rs 9 lakh annually

The major surprise for Sonal came when she learned about the programme costs. She said a two-day-per-week preschool programme costs around Rs 4 lakh per year.

A full five-day programme costs nearly Rs 9 lakh annually. She compared the amount to the price of a new Maruti Brezza in India.

The preschool academic session runs from September to late June, with classes conducted from 8:45 AM to 11:45 AM.

Public schooling in US begins free from kindergarten

Sonal said the high preschool fees became easier to understand after considering the facilities, personalised attention and learning environment provided to children.

She also highlighted that these preschools are privately operated, which contributes to the higher costs.

In her video, Sonal noted that public education in the United States is free from kindergarten through Grade 12, making preschool one of the significant early education expenses for many families.

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Video sparks India-US education cost debate

Sonal's post has led to discussions among viewers comparing education expenses in India and the US.

Many users debated the value of smaller class sizes and specialised early childhood programmes while also discussing the financial burden of private preschool education.

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