ABU DHABI // School fees will increase by as much as 50 per cent in the next academic year, with kindergarten and primary schools, where demand is greatest, introducing the biggest rises.
At the Sharjah English School, annual fees for the first foundation year will go up to Dh19,000 from Dh12,390 and fees for years seven to nine will rise to Dh45,000 from Dh39,000, up by 15 per cent
With many private schools heavily oversubscribed, parents have little choice but to accept the rises, despite a Ministry of Education by-law that says schools cannot increase fees by more than 20 per cent in a three-year period.
At the American International School (AISA), one of a handful of internationally accredited schools, fees will rise to Dh24,000 from Dh22,000 for the foundation year and to Dh44,000 from Dh40,000 for grades nine to 12.
Dr Walther Hertzer, the director of AISA, said the increases were necessary because of the rising cost of rents in the capital and competitive teacher salaries.
Fees at the American Community School (ACS) will go up by 15 per cent. ACS, one of a few not-for-profit schools, has never raised fees by more than five or six per cent.
“Most of the increase is due to general inflation and a huge increase in housing cost,” said George Robinson, the superintendent of ACS. “The cost of the additional apartments has been incredible. We are expanding our school and thus adding teachers. We also needed to increase teacher and staff salaries as we gave no salary increases last year to help stop fees from rising.”
At the British School – Al Khubairat, primary school fees will rise to Dh34,995 from Dh27,600, a 27 per cent increase, while secondary school charges are increasing only 10 per cent to Dh46,995 from Dh42,750.
“Absolutely,” said Paul Coackley, the head teacher, when asked if schools were facing large cost increases. “If you are looking at rental costs and capital costs, schools are looking at significant increases,” he said.
In Dubai, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which regulates education in the emirate, has allowed schools to raise fees by as much as 16 per cent over two years, a ruling that will remain in place next year.
The ministry declined to comment on whether the structure for fees would change when it released details of new by-laws requiring all private schools to be accredited.
Monica Harter, the communications director at the Global Education Management Systems (Gems) group, which owns more than 25 schools in the UAE, said the cap posed serious problems for schools, especially those that have been open for a long time.
“It’s particularly difficult for schools that have served the community for many years, because all schools were previously subject to a 20 per cent increase every three years,” she said.
“What has occurred is that those schools have never been able to catch up. They are hampered when land lease costs go up and we’ve had schools where land lease costs have gone up by 300 per cent.”
Many schools imposed the full 16 per cent increase in the last academic year, so are unable to increase fees further this year.
However, exceptions are made for schools with international accreditation, which can negotiate fee increases with the KHDA.
The policy, aimed at improving quality by encouraging more schools to secure accreditation, will mean that Dubai American Academy, a Gems school that last year put up fees by 20 per cent, can increase them by a further five per cent this year.
Meike Quarry, 27, and her husband Brian, live in Dubai with their sons aged three and one.
If school fees continue to rise dramatically, the couple say they will reconsider plans to stay in the UAE.
“It would certainly make me think again about staying here for a few years longer,” said Mrs Quarry. “At the current price, Brian’s work will pay the fees, but if it continues to rise at this speed we will have to pay the difference.
“We came here to save some money and, if that is not possible any more, with the rising rent prices as well, we will leave. Schooling at home is free.”
Stephanie Hamilton, 36, and her husband, James, have two children aged seven and two. The cost of nursery care for their youngest, Ruby, was the main concern, said Mrs Hamilton.
“The nursery fees here are very high. You send them there to do finger-painting and pay about Dh7,000 for the privilege. .”
Fiona Donald, whose son’s school fees are being raised by 12.5 per cent, is sympathetic about the increase.
“In the case of our school, I feel the rise is fair enough because the teachers’ accommodation is being demolished so they have to find it elsewhere,” she said.
“So I understand why they have to put the fees up. Our school is a non-profit establishment.”
In the capital, Ivy Pereira, an Indian mother of three, was equally understanding.
Mrs Pereira, 47, has lived in Abu Dhabi for 25 years and said school fees had barely increased in that time.
“Everything in this country is rising in cost, especially rents, and teachers should be paid more,” she said.
“If a rise in fees helps support the teachers, I would pay more from my pocket