School fees set to become ‘more affordable’: KHDA

dubai — The average fee increase in Dubai schools this year will be 35 per cent lower as compared to previous years, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has said. While parents of over 90 per cent of students are looking at just a 2.07 per cent increase in school fees, a slab of the fee increase framework released on Tuesday showed that the maximum increase allowed this academic year is 4.14 per cent (see box).

The details came a day after Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, approved the KHDA’s updated school fees framework.

Last academic year, the Dubai Crown Prince had ordered a freeze on school fee increase to relieve parents of financial burdens. The updated framework motivates private schools to enhance their performance and rewards them when they improve the quality of education.

As per the updated framework, only schools that have improved in the annual school inspection ratings will be eligible for fee increases above the Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.07 per cent. Private schools that have maintained the ratings will be allowed to increase their fees by only 2.07 per cent, while those dropping in rankings won’t be allowed to up the fees.

Schools improving their rating from ‘weak’ or ‘acceptable’ will be eligible to increase their fees by 4.14 per cent — which is double the ECI. Those improving their rating from ‘very good’ to ‘outstanding’ will be eligible to increase their fees by 3.1 per cent — that is, 1.5 times the ECI — while those improving from ‘good’ to ‘very good’ will benefit from an increase of 3.6 per cent — 1.75 times the ECI.

The KHDA said the updated framework will make education “more affordable”.

Dr Abdulla Al Karam, chairman of the board of directors and director general of the KHDA, said: “The fees framework takes into account the cost of living and financial expectations of families in Dubai.”

Over the last seven years, 76 new schools have opened in Dubai and more than 80,000 new students have enrolled, marking a 40 per cent increase in the number of students attending private schools.

Dr Abdulla added: “Our earlier fee framework encouraged investors and schools owners to create capacity in Dubai’s private education sector by offering new school seats and balancing the supplydemand gap. Moving forward, the new framework reflects our commitment to create a more ro-

bust and reliable private education sector that emphasises affordability, quality of education and more choices.

“We have consulted parents, schools, and the wider community in our effort to balance the expectations of all stakeholders and develop a comprehensive framework that recognises

schools making an effort to improve their education offering.”

As he approved the framework, Sheikh Hamdan had said that education is a top government priority. “Meeting the growing needs of future labour market requires successive developments in the education sector and developing proactive legislations

that ensure enhancing the relationship between educational service providers, students and their families.”

The framework will strike a balance between parents’ needs and private schools’ requirements to improve the quality of education.

Meeting the growing needs of future labour market requires successive developments in the education sector.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The fees framework takes into account the cost of living and financial expectations of families in Dubai.”

Dr Abdulla Al Karam,

chairman of the board of directors and director general, KHDA