can we get a list of which schools are threatening the increase? I know for sure Dong Fang.

KEATS said they will not increase the fee.

Also, I put a little rant on one of the forums at in.kunming.cn/

So i get an email from someone saying they're a reporter and going to look into this at the relevant offices. So as much info as I can email him the better.

Someone who's is good at speaking Chinese can call 8099999 and let them check it out. That's Kunming Channel 6.

after emailing Kunming Mei's Mandarin School, I received this email in reply

Next semester according to the goverment's policy all the Chinese language training school in Kunming have to raise the fees,the goverment have set a bottom line of the fee,and any schools which not fellow the price should be fined.

But now in Kunming Mei's Mandarin School the semester fee is as same as before before 1st Sep,if students regist in our school and pay the fee of next semester before 1st September,we charge the fee as before, so it is a great chance to regist in our school now.
After 1st September,I am sorry to say that all the school should charge the fee the goverment asked if we don't want to be revoked license .

Best Regards.

Mr Liu

So I've also forwarded this onto the person who contacted me saying they're a reporter and looking into the matter.

So this Mr. Liu guy says very clearly that it is the Government requiring this price increase. So I emailed him back with the above information about education laws provided by user iliveinkm. I look forward to seeing his response to that.

just got an email from www.yunnanmandarinchineseschool.com/index.html
they DO NOT plan to raise prices

here is the Chinese language news report about our efforts! Let's hope the from the reporter looking into this.

news.kunming.cn/km-news/content/2011-08/12/content_2626389.htm

if any schools have told of the price increase, post here the name of the school and this reporter will follow up with them and add to the ongoing report.

@fogdear keep it up! Thanks for the updates.

I had the same experience in DongFangXueXiao. The Principal of the branch on the north side said it would actually increase it from 01 September and it was not school, but the government wanted to increase the school. Really absurd what they are doing, in my nation that would be considered a crime. In addition to matching prices, if this is not true, they are denigrating the image of the Chinese government.

@hermescaires

You are quite right. Blaming the government is a poor way to do a ridiculous increase. Being "forced" but also saying if one school does not do the increase Dong Fang won't do it either.

Is the government both unreasonable and weak?

Making the government look bad is the only way they can pull this off. No mention of inflation or higher costs. Best I can tell, the teachers are not getting increases. When I asked why would the government of a budding "international city" force an increase only foreigners would be paying, I was told a 100% increase would double the governments fees (taxes???).

So far, best I can tell, Keats and Longwen have said they are not increasing tuition. Both are pretty good schools. The only schools pushing the 100% increase, best I can tell, are Dong Fang and Mei's.

I wish the government would confirm or deny the tuition increase is a government order. I asked for a copy of the regulation but at that moment there wasn't any to be had.