[imagesource: Wikimedia Commons]

Having children is one way to break the bank.

Forget the price of nappies, toys, and three nutritious meals a day, because sending your kids to school is where the real pocket-burner is.

That is if you consider South Africa’s most expensive elite private boarding schools the best place for them to get an education.

There are other options folks, far cheaper and probably perfectly fine in terms of teaching your kids that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of a cell and whatnot.

The current reality is that the cost of a first-year bachelor’s degree plus catered residence at South Africa’s top universities is significantly cheaper than tuition and boarding at South Africa’s most expensive private boarding schools.

While the University of Cape Town charges R89 400 per student for a fully-catered double room in a first-tier residence, per Business Insider, SA’s most expensive boarding school will cost R369 920 in 2023.

That sure as hell hits you where it hurts.

Indeed, Hilton College remains the country’s most expensive boarding school thanks to its 2023 increase of 7,8% (R26 765).

Languishing close behind is Michaelhouse with a modest 4,3% increase, putting the fees at R342 000 for 2023.

That is comparatively paltry compared to Hilton – less by R27 920 to be exact.

St Andrew’s College in Makhanda is in third place for the first time, having breached the R340 000 mark with its R20 805 increase from 2022.

Meanwhile, eight of the country’s top ten most expensive schools have stayed in the same position as last year.

Although, St Andrew’s School for Girls dropped out of the top ten with Diocesan School for Girls replacing them – charging R299 100 for 2023.

Check out Business Insider for what the top 10 most expensive boarding schools will charge in 2023.

“Where does all this money go?”, parents, cry out into the void. Well, not much of it goes towards the top-tier extracurricular activities, like rowing, which adds a few thousand rands onto the annual sum at some schools:

Fees for South Africa’s elite boarding schools cover tuition and boarding. They usually include insurance, minor medical attention, hot meals, and access to facilities like libraries and laundry.

Some of the fees listed below don’t include other costs, such as registration and fees often stipulated as mandatory or voluntary development or building levies.

And first-time applicants will also need to pay non-refundable acceptance fees to secure spots – the two most-expensive schools charge between R75,000 and R85,000 for this.

Cool cool, nice to know.

You can bet that day school fees are also pretty hefty.

South Africa’s most expensive school for the 2023 year, Kearsney College, now costs R224 620 for a matric year.

How’s that piggy bank looking, folks? Hopefully, just as fat.

[source:businessinsider]