SEVERAL top preparatory schools across the Corporate Area are finding it difficult to attract new students as competition for new students intensifies.

The schools have been advertising registration, some in the print and electronic media, even before the summer break.

Checks made by the Jamaica Observer with some schools revealed that the number of students registering has been steadily declining.

Advertisements have been published for Vaz and St Theresa preparatory schools, while Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory has mounted a banner at the school.

The Sunday Observer contacted St Theresa and was told the principal was not available for a comment. however, the advertisement urged parents and guardians to take advantage of opportunity of the low rates available.

“Register now, low rates. Top GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test) achiever and much more,” the advertisement read.

Sts Peter and Paul encouraged parents to register their child/children aged three to 12.

Vice-Principal Sonia Fisher told the Sunday Observer that increased competition pushed the school to put out an advertisement.

“That’s a new concept. We don’t normally have that (advertisement) up, but we decided to put it up this year. We did it to pull in more children [because], you know, the competition is on now for schools. So we did it to get more registration,” the vice-principal said.

She explained that several private schools are “suffering from migration”, noting that the majority of parents who can afford to send their children to the school have migrated.

“To keep up with the numbers we have to try something new. We can’t just sit and use our name any more. Sometimes people want to come but they don’t know; they think we’re just full,” she said.

Parents pay $86,000 per term for their child to attend the school, Fisher told the Sunday Observer.

Vaz Preparatory Principal Karlene Bisnott said registration for the new academic year has been moderate so far.

She disclosed that at a similar period last year, she had a “few more students” on board, indicating that she is short for this year.

“I’m still getting enquiries; the phone has not stopped ringing so I’m hoping that the calls will be positive. …You will have competition and it depends on where the school is located. Our issue tends to be location, for the most part, because we are so far away from uptown. The name alone now is not carrying it, so we have had to be advertising too,” Bisnott said.

“If I could get 30 to 40 students then it would take me back to where I was at the end of the school year. It is a concern, but what can I do? It is a concern because I have 80 students leaving me at the end of grade six and I don’t have 80 students on board yet. You also have to factor in others who you know are not coming back for whatever reason, but most of them are migration or relocation,” she shared, adding that approximately 12 to 15 students will not be returning because of that.

“We are a bit concerned, but at the same time we are doing our best.”

Bursar and marketer at Holy Childhood Preparatory Doval Stewart said that the school is seeking to register 150 students. So far the school has managed to secure just over 50 students in addition to the 62 already on the register.

“We increased because we did some marketing. Maybe those prep schools that are seeing a decline, their academics have declined as well. We are always on par, no matter the little that we have had or what we have been through. …We have been growing and we’re out there doing very well academically. We went from 500 to under 100, but now we’re growing again,” Stewart said, adding that the school has been advertising to up its numbers.

Parents pay $73,000 per term for their children to attend the school.