Dubai, March 25, 2008 – Last year’s decision on school fees for private schools in Dubai has been continued for this academic year, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority announced today. This decision has been reached in consultation with and been approved by The Executive Council of the Government of Dubai.
The maximum allowable rise was set at 16 per cent for 2007-2008, in general. Most schools that raised their fees last year used their full allowance. These schools, two-thirds of private schools in Dubai with 97,525 pupils, will not be able to impose any increase for 2008-2009.
This indicates an increasing trend towards stability. The example of the non-profit schools, which took between 3-8%, and those who chose not to take the full increase suggests a maturing balance between supply and demand. It also indicates that spreading the maximum allowable increase over two years (8% per year) is a fair and equitable recognition of actual cost increases faced by schools.
Those schools that increased their fees less than 16 per cent can now top up their increase, to a maximum 16 per cent, if they wish. In effect, therefore, schools have been allowed to increase tuition fees by up to 16 per cent over two years, inclusive. This figure includes all mandatory associated costs levied on parents, including transport, books, uniforms and food.
Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General at KHDA said: “The extension of last year’s decision on allowable fee increases stems from our desire to stabilize the market while permitting the reasonable increases schools may need to cope with the rise in cost of living. The addition of five new schools to Dubai’s diverse education community shows that our goal of increasing access and supply is on track. By recently establishing the Schools Inspection Bureau, we are also confident that we are putting in place a structure of support for quality in schools. Our allowable fee increase clearly contributes to these two goals.”
This decision is binding on the 137 private schools in Dubai, which have approximately 153,000 pupils. It was designed to help support the long-term development of the private education sector, while respecting the importance of the investment which parents are making in the future.
Parents seeking clarification and confirmation of their school fees for the academic year 2008-2009 should contact their school directly; the KHDA statement on school fees and FAQs have been posted on the KHDA website www.khda.gov.ae, along with a list of private schools showing their eligibility for a tuition fee increase, or not. Read More