The Privatisation of Vu Children Centers

Dear Professor,

These days walking into our childcare centre, everyone can read all the parents’ letters pinned on the wall. Everybody understands that the recent letter sent out to parents regarding the review of VU’s remaining three centres is only a prelude to closing all of them in the near future. The parents are going to protest with the most compelling reasons. VU administration can only see the “costs” but not the “benefits”. It is capitalism at its worst.

Needless to say, the benefits generated by these centres are immeasurable, but not a word has been mentioned in the letter. The administration obviously realizes that, but pretends not to acknowledge. Over the years, with the help of these centres, the students and university staff have been at ease; able to study and to work without worrying about the well-being of their children during the day. This factor alone is enough to enhance the efficiency and the academic reputation of VU.

The centres extend their services to the neighborhood whenever there are places that are not taken up by students and staff. Indeed, the centre staff has used the resources efficiently and at the same time has built up their social reputation and good relationships with the neighborhood over the years.

The centre staff is dedicated and professional. The children are happy. The parents are at ease at work and there is harmony with the neighborhoods. Now, the VU administration wants to destroy all of this on the simple belief that “it is not VU’s core business”. This simplistic thinking is widespread among people with myopic vision who believe only in short-term financial gains rather than long-term benefits.

For their survival, social responsibility is becoming a main part of business enterprises’ strategies these days. VU is an academic institution and a business enterprise. It should demonstrate social responsibility to its students and staff and to the public as a role model. The childcare centre looks simple in its...