A more than 30-percent increase in fees for classes at BOK – MCC, introduced by director Kornel Filipowicz, has been dubbed a “horror price list” by parents of children from outside Bolesławiec.
“Over 10 months, my fees will amount to PLN 4,800,” a father of two told istotne.pl. “Parents are devastated by the cost. Many of us have two or more children attending BOK classes. Our children always proudly represent the city at various events, even though they do not live in Bolesławiec. We do not believe that the director will return to the previous prices, although we will continue to fight for that. Parents and their ‘hillbilly’ children have been left alone in this fight,” the parent adds.
The new price list at BOK – MCC has been in force for some time. For dance classes for one child with a Resident Card, held twice a week, the monthly fee is PLN 182 (previously PLN 180), while without the Card it is PLN 240 (previously PLN 180). The increase for a child with a Resident Card is PLN 2, while for a child from outside the city it is as much as PLN 60.
Filipowicz admits in the media that the decision to raise the fees is unpopular and says that no one is being forced to attend classes at the Bolesławiec Cultural Center. He also adds that of the 340 people attending paid classes at BOK – MCC, 70 are from outside the city.
“Until now, there had been no such divisions,” the parent says. “Although different fees are sometimes justified by subsidies from the city budget, in practice this leads to children being divided into ‘better’ ones with a Resident Card and ‘worse’ ones from outside the city. The children attend the same classes, in the same groups, yet their parents pay significantly different amounts. This is particularly painful in the local community, where many families from nearby towns are closely connected with Bolesławiec. They work here, pay indirect taxes, and participate in the life of the city,” the parent adds.
For comparison, classes at the district Youth Cultural Center are free.
“This year we have 883 class participants,” reports Dariusz Uściński, director of the district cultural center. “We have a voluntary annual contribution to the Parents’ Council of PLN 260 per child and PLN 320 for two children. Of the contribution to the Parents’ Council, around 70% goes toward expenses of the class attended by the child, while 30% is at the Council’s disposal for special support for classes; of that, 10% is at the disposal of the MDK director for expenses related to the activities of the classes and MDK,” the institution’s director adds.
For clarity, it should be added that MDK, in simplified terms, operates like a school, while BOK – MCC may earn money from its activities (within certain legal limits, of course).