Dehiovita, Jan 17- With the current competitive education pattern, parents have to spend 30 percent on tuition classes as much as the government spends on school education, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

While addressing a meeting at a school in Dehiovita yesterday, he said that as of today, tuition fees have become among the essential currencies of the country. 

"In general, a child spends Rs. 20,000 on tuition. There are 5.7 million families in our country, and parents spend about Rs. 121 to Rs. 122 billion for tuition.

"The government has allocated Rs. 546 billion for 2024 from the Treasury. Rs. 402 billion from the total education expenditures was allocated for school education in the country. People's expenses on tuition were not added. A team has been appointed to investigate the rise in inflation in our country," the State Minister said.

"It was first started in 1952, when a price index was made. Today, tuition money is one of the most important things in the country. Today, a child generally spends Rs. 20,000 for tuition. There are 5.7 million families in our country where parents spend Rs. 121 to Rs. 122 billion for tuition," he said.