Dubai/ Abu Dhabi/ Fujairah: School books, uniforms, fees and bus rentals - when do the expenses end?
The cost of enrolling a child in school is increasing by the year, leaving parents to make further sacrifices in order to afford the price hikes.
In a recent Gulf News poll, 92 per cent of respondents said soaring costs in their children's education was affecting the quality of family life, while the remaining 8 per cent said that it was not.
City Talk took to the streets and asked residents if the rising cost of education was affecting the quality of family life, how their life has been affected, and what sacrifices they are making as a result.
Arlene Sigua, a Filipina secretary, 34, said: "The cost of education is definitely affecting my family life. Because of the high cost I am forced to live separately from my children. All three of my children are studying back home because I cannot afford to raise them here."
Abdullah Tabit, a high school teacher from Jordan, 58, said: "I have seven children and the last two are still going to school. Our family had to prioritise our expenditures, because while the cost of books and food is increasing, our salaries are not rising at the same level. My two elder sons are helping me out by chipping in to pay the school expenses. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult to do it on my own."
Ghanshyam Pahilwani, an Indian store manager, 45, said: "If one parent is earning a living, then definitely there are sacrifices involved. My son's school fees for kindergarten increased this year but it is still lower compared to other schools. The cost of education is affecting everything, including our family quality time. There is less communication with each other during the week because I arrive home late, and by that time he is already getting ready for bed."
Fatimah Haddad, a Syrian doctor and mother of two, 37, said: "Besides tuition fees, bus fees are also exorbitant. Getting quality education is becoming something only the elite can afford ... the others are forced to make compromises."
Semir Halit, an economist from Turkey, 27, said: "I don't have any children but I know the hard work my parents are putting into my younger brother's education.
You do not have the opportunity to go to a public school if you do not speak Arabic, and so many expatriate pupils do not have any choice but to go to a private school, which is more expensive. Family life is much affected by the rising costs, which leads you to cut back on other expenditures. You have to start looking out for products on offer and to keep an eye out for cheaper brands in the supermarkets."
Ponath Bahuleyan Babu, an Indian engineer and father of three, 55, said: "Families are forced to cut down on entertainment or other areas where they can because the escalating costs are eating away a big part of their budget. The cost of education and rent are the biggest issues."
Majid Abdul Bari, a sales manager from Palestine, 45, said: "I have to deal with it [increase in school fees] the same as other people; we cut down on other costs and try to find additional income. We had to let go of the house help, we have stopped eating out and ordering a lot of food.
For many expatriates, a secondary income is a must if they want to keep their families and educate their kids in this country. More and more wives have to find jobs to assist their husbands with living costs, which to some is a change in traditional roles, but a measure of the difficult conditions."
Osama Esmael Al Sayed, an Egyptian accounting manager, 47, said: "The increase in school fees has been very difficult but we have to manage through paying in instalments and cutting down on the family budget elsewhere. We do not buy non-essential or complementary items and we don't have money for family entertainment or even travel, so, sometimes we have to skip a year or two before travelling home in the summer.
"We have three daughters at one private school and the fourth should have been with them in nursery but we couldn't afford to enrol her. So instead, she's at home asking why she can not go with her sisters to school. But we had to take that difficult decision to help pay for her sisters' education."
C.D. Varghese, a sales supervisor from India, 50, said: "People are suffering deeply because of the soaring costs of education. I have had to send my family back home so my children, who are at university level, can continue their education.
"I am grateful that they finished their school education years ago when the school fees were still manageable, but if the university fees were somewhat reasonable, I would have not sent them away."
By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Rayeesa Absal and Fuad Ali, Staff Reporters