DUBAI - Dubai's educational authority yesterday confirmed that there would be no further increases in tuition fees in the private schools in the emirate this academic year as they have already been permitted a maximum of 16 per cent increase for 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years.
Schools in the emirate, however, said they should also be given a chance to restructure to the realistic market levels.
Although an amended education ministerial decree issued on Saturday now allows private schools in the UAE to hike tuition fees up to 30 per cent, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which regulates school fees in Dubai, said schools in Dubai would continue to follow the fee cap since it was already operating a "fully-functioning fees regulation process".
The KHDA said, "Minister of Education Dr Hanif Hassan is overseeing the ministry's progressive new agenda of decentralising decision-making. He has stated that this means that education councils and authorities have the right to set their own fee rules which reflect the guidelines set by the ministry.
“The new by-law (signed by the Minister of Education and dated May 29, 2008) would apply in the absence of a decision by the local education body."
On Saturday, the Ministry of Education said fee increases for schools, which have already increased the fees in 2007-08, could be between five and 10 per cent.
The schools that have not increased the fees for two consecutive academic years could increase them between 10 and 20 per cent and if there has been no increase for three years, the hike can range between 20 and 30 per cent.
Welcoming the MoE announcement, an official from Gems Education said, "However, schools that have been serving the community for decades, some of which charge as little as Dh5,000 a year, should be given one chance to readjust their fee structure so that they can be brought up to the realistic market levels to support their long-term operation."
Schools in the other emirates expressed satisfaction at the ministry's decision. R.K Nair, vice-principal of New Indian Model School, Sharjah, said, "This is a positive step by the government and we welcome it."
He observed that this was timely as the cost of living was increasing and schools also had to bear the brunt of rising costs.
Taleem, formerly known as Beacon Education, which operates a school in Abu Dhabi said that it would work closely with the government and parents to balance the needs of all parties.
By Preeti Kannan (Our staff reporter)