Schools cut fees to lure more pupils

Increased competition, with 20 schools set to open in Dubai next year, leads to introduction of scholarship programmes

DUBAI // More schools in Dubai are offering financial incentives to attract parents as competition increases to fill seats.

About 20 private schools are expected to open in the emirate this year, bringing the total to 193. They have to provide value for money to compete, said Mohammed Darwish of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the schools regulator.

“We know of several schools that offer financial relief to parents who might need it. Families in need are approaching schools themselves for viable options.”

Scholarships are an important part of private education, said James Mullan, co- founder of Dubai education consultancy WhichSchoolAdvisor.com.

“It is still very much a small percentage of schools, although clearly growing, so far in Dubai.

“Nine out of 10 parents say school fees are a source of financial stress, so clearly anything that will lessen the pain will have an impact.”

Scholarships were embedded in private school systems around the world and gave gifted but less advantaged children access to the best education, he said. “We hope the trend continues.”

Gems Education, which is opening six schools in Dubai this year, will offer “educational endowments” to about 3,000 pupils.

More than 6,700 pupils in Gems schools receive scholarships, concessions or subsidies each year, said Dino Varkey, the company’s executive director.

“Our schools have application procedures that cover areas such as merit-based or means-tested scholarships and concessions.

“Support for families that may be experiencing temporary financial hardship is also determined through an application process.”

Mr Mullan said the increase in the number of private schools made scholarships inevitable. “You should not discount philanthropy although it is not the only reason. In Dubai the sheer number of new schools will inevitably make schools more competitive.

“Schools need to fill their places, and scholarships in the form of fee discounts are a way to make schools more accessible and attractive.”

“Some schools will also target children who are gifted and talented, especially those that are academically selective, although there is perhaps less of a driver for this in the UAE where there are no academic league tables of the kind you see in the UK,” Mr Mullan said.

“To some degree the reasons are less important than the outcome. Scholarships are a great addition to the education land- scape if they are managed well.”

Arcadia Preparatory School, a British-curriculum school that will open in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village Triangle in August, will offer a 30 per cent discount to all pupils who registered for its inaugural year.

The school’s chief executive, Navin Valrani, said the discount was a way for the education company Al Shirawi Group to give back to Dubai.

“If it was just a promotional exercise they could have offered it for a year or two or three,” Mr Valrani said. “They’re now going out there and saying regardless of how successful our school is, our founding students are going to enjoy eight years of a 30 per cent rebate on the KHDA- approved fee.” KHDA expects 250 private schools to be operating by 2020 for a predicted 400,000 pupils. About 265,299 are enrolled in Dubai’s 173 private schools.

KHDA expects 250 private schools to be operating by 2020