I was taken aback by the fee of $2,000 that is being charged by some private pre-schools (Why the high cost?, Aug 25).

However, nobody can fault these private centres because it is a seller-buyer market and if a parent is prepared to pay the money, why not?

I would like to ask parents if they think that placing their child in an exclusive pre-school would translate to the child becoming highly successful later on in life.

If the child is placed there at 18 months and continues to be there until he is seven years old, which is about 66 months, the parent would have paid a staggering $132,000 - and the child has not even started primary school.

When my younger son was five years old in 1980, I enrolled him in a centre where I paid a monthly fee of $7 back then for two years (K1 and K2).

His educational journey took him to Ang Mo Kio North Primary School to Chinese High, to Hwa Chong Junior College and then to university where he graduated with a master's degree. He continued his educational journey, pursuing his doctorate overseas and today, he is a professor in one of our local universities.

My point is simply this: You don't have to place a child in a high-end centre to achieve desired results.

Constant nurturing and guidance is the key - not money.

Neo Poh Goon