No school fee increase this year

Dubai: Requests for fee increases are not entertained this year. That is the message the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is sending out to Dubai schools this year.

The education authority has denied permission to eight Asian schools in the emirate that are seeking permission for a fee hike in the academic year 2010-2011 that commences in April.

KHDA that oversees the private and public schools in Dubai have rejected the submissions as it sees no valid reason to increase the fees in the new economic climate. The education watchdog has instead urged schools to consider the rationale of dwindling inflation and operational costs to refrain from burdening the parents with another fee increase.

Exemptions

"Inflation is at its lowest, rents have dropped, prices for essentials have also dropped. This is not just here in Dubai, it is part of a pattern across the world. KHDA wants school owners to think again: How can you justify a fee increase in these times? And how can we best support parents to keep their children in the school of their choice? This is a shared responsibility and we are asking school owners to play their part. Therefore KHDA after analysing the situation (from all aspects) in the past year does not see a valid reason for the schools to increase their fees," said a statement issued by the government authority.

According to KHDA, only those schools that are compelled to relocate will be given exemption to its no- fee-increase policy this year.

Mohammad Darwish, Chief of Regulations and Compliance Commission at KHDA said schools have availed of about 26 per cent increase in their fees in the past three years in line with the ministry of education framework.

"Those decisions were relevant as the educational landscape required it at that time but not any more," he said. Instead, he wrote to schools telling them off to be sensitive to the plight of parents.

Last year, schools were allowed fee increases up to 15 per cent depending on their performance category as revealed in the School Inspection report. It was the first time, government introduced an inspection framework that linked fee increases to performance ratings of schools. Accordingly, outstanding schools were allowed a maximum of 15 per cent increase; Good schools, 12 per cent, Acceptable schools could go up to nine per cent while those rated as unsatisfactory was permitted a seven per cent increase.

Though most schools went for the maximum permitted increase last year, KHDA's "best gets most and worst gets the least" policy on fee regulations was questioned by many private school providers.

Responding to the KHDA's decision to deny fee increases this year, GEMS Education said none of its Indian schools have received any communication from the KHDA in relation to a decision on school fees for the next academic year.

The spokesperson for the Dubai Private Schools Group, Ralph Tabberer said the Group is seeking an urgent meeting with the KHDA to discuss the decision and will not be making any announcement until that meeting has taken place.