Zhen Hong, whose 4-year-old daughter attends the 21st Century Experimental Kindergarten in Beiyuan residential community, learned on Monday that the cost of three daily meals will rise from 310 yuan a month to 410 yuan.

The school will put the new pricing policy into effect on March 1, the first day of a new semester, although sisters branches in Yizhuang and Haidian districts hiked prices on Jan 1.

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"I don't like the rises, but I can't really do anything about it. After all, I have to send my daughter to a kindergarten," said Zhen. "Since food costs are going up (across the country), it's understandable that they need to raise prices."

Beijing's consumer price index, the major gauge for inflation, was 4.7 percent higher in the fourth quarter last year than during the same period in 2009. Food prices rose 5.5 percent, according to figures from the Beijing Bureau of Statistics on Monday.

Several other large private kindergartens contacted by METRO also confirmed they are undergoing price adjustments.

Zhang, an admissions officer at Eton Huizhi Bilingual Kindergarten who did not want his full name used, said his school's tuition will go up from 3,200 yuan a month to 3,600 yuan starting August due to the increase in rental overheads.

School bus fees at Red Yellow and Blue Kindergarten have also doubled to 600 yuan a month, while meals have gone from 300 to 400 yuan.

Unlike private kindergartens, public centers will not be increasing prices, assured Zhao Guowei, a press officer for Beijing Education Commission. Based on laws relating to the promotion of private pre-schools, the commission can only provide pricing guidance to public centers.

Private businesses have the right to set charges with consent from the Beijing Development and Reform Commission's pricing department, said Zhao. He added: "We're concerned about the price hikes in private kindergartens. We'll discuss with the pricing department to see whether the hikes are necessary."

Beijing has 1,253 kindergartens, among which 330 are public.