Continuing with publishing Kantipur FM commentaries I made as the host of a radio show way back in the Spring of 1998…this commentary accompanied the February 2 show.
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[Opening jingle]
Awright… Seven and I’m back. This is Dorje.
This morning I went to drop my brother off to school and pay his fees for the last two months. I had to fork out over three thousand rupees [approx. US$45 then] for a period that mostly consisted of vacation! It was then that I hit upon a brilliant idea for you…a hot tip for you to make a lot of money!
More about that later but for now here’s a number by Rod Stewart—Go Out Dancing.
[Music, Rod Stewart followed by Joe Cocker.]
That was Joe Cocker having a go at Reggae, Bob Marley’s Could You be Loved.
I’m thinking, why not establish a money-making factory, like a minting place?! And just print and produce money!! I am talking about real money, not counterfeit (fake) bills!
On second thought, that’s probably not such a good idea—that is after all illegal. And no, that is not the money making scheme I have in mind.
But before that, here’s Tina Turner with a hard driving number We Don’t Need Another Hero.
[Music, Tina Turner followed by Saint and Campbell.]
That was Saint and Campbell with a cover of Oh Carol, a number that was a hit about 40 years ago.
From my experiences here in the education field—I am professionally a teacher—from my last eight months of being in the teaching business in Nepal and what happened this morning, opening a school, I have decided, is as good as minting money, printing bank notes.
“How’s that so?” You may ask, and I say, “After the next song, crazy!” I mean after the next song Crazy.
[Music, Seal followed by Suggs.]
That was the Suggs with Cecilia.
A school is as good as a minting place for two reasons.
It seems 1. you can charge very high fees but no one will object.
You can charge for anything and everything. Details to follow but in the mean time here’s Europe with Carrie.
[Music, Europe followed by Rainbow.]
That was Rainbow with Temple of the King.
The monthly fees at my brother’s school covers: tuition, boarding fees, computer fees and three times a year examination fees. Fair enough.
And then there’s the yearly fee which covers: games, library, water and electricity, Science lab, School Magazines. Not bad.
But the rest? The rest is what is disturbing! More about that later but for now here’s Kenny Loggins with Footloose.
[Music, Kenny Loggins followed by Ratt.]
That was Ratt with Givin’ Yourself Away.
The break-down of the yearly fee also includes: maintenance (of what?), utensils and dormitory (doesn’t that come under room and board fees, which they have also charged for?), ECA charges (what’s that?), and a School Development fee of Rs. 1000!!
And, finally, service charges! What other services does a school provide other than all those for which fees have already been collected that it has to charge Rs. 3000/year above and beyond all of them?! But you can get away with all of that.
Gary Moore with Strangers in the Darkness.
[Music, Gary Moore followed by Bob Marley.]
That was Bob Marley with One Love/People Get Ready. Yes, you can get away with all of that!!
The second reason is that you get a lot of benefits: tax benefits, import and purchase of vehicles to name just two!
The upshot of all this is that education can be a money making business in some cases in Kathmandu. That brings me to the end of this hour. This is Dorje saying goodnight.
Up next Udaya Shree Top Ten with Sanju.
[Closing jingle]
