UAE | Education

Parents outraged by school fee increases of up to 70%

Parents were up in arms yesterday when seven schools in the UAE opted to go in for a fee hike ranging from 55 per cent to 70 per cent.

  • By Siham Al Najami and Sunita Menon, Staff Reporters
  • Published: 00:00 December 19, 2006
  • Gulf News

  • Parents outraged by school fee increases of up to 70%. Picture for illustrative purposes only.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News archive

Dubai: Parents were up in arms yesterday when seven schools in the UAE opted to go in for a fee hike ranging from 55 per cent to 70 per cent.

Three of these schools belong to the Global Education Management Systems (GEMS) and have already sent circulars of the revised fee structure to parents.

A Ministry of Education official told Gulf News that the ministry is yet to provide approval for a fee revision to these schools.

“The ministry has not been notified about the hike. Some of these schools are not allowed to ask for a hike in fee structure. As per the ministry regulations a fee revision is only allowed every three years. The maximum increase should not be more than 20 per cent,'' said a ministry official.

A parent who has four school age children said; “When I received the circular for a fee revision from the Cambridge International School I was shocked. The school had already brought in a fee hike of 20 per cent in September 2005.''

The circular from the Cambridge International School reads “In order for us to enhance teachers' salaries, needs, increased operating costs and continue to improve on our high standards, tuition fees will increase by 30 per cent from January 2007 and a further 25 per cent at the beginning of next academic year in September 2007.''

The circular further says that the Ministry of Education has been informed of this fee revision.

Similarly a circular from The Westminster School, Dubai says that in order to continue providing a world class international education for all students, it is essential to increase tuition fees by 70 per cent.

The fees will be increased in two stages, 35 per cent in January 2007 and 35 per cent in the next academic year in September 2007.

“We received complaints from parents whose children study in seven different schools in Dubai regarding fee hike,'' said Abdul Rehman Yousef, head of the private school licensing section at the Dubai Education Zone. “We have to investigate the issue and if it turns out to be true then it will be considered as a violation. In such cases the schools will have to pay a Dh10,000 fine,'' he added.

“I am sure that the schools did not get the permission to implement the fee hike. It is ridiculous. It was only last year that the schools increased their fees. The ministry should come down heavily on these schools,'' said another parent whose two children attend a private school in Dubai.

Another parent whose children attend one of the GEMS schools said: “It is very painful. On one hand we have the exorbitant rent on the other we are burdened with a fee hike every year. Unfortunately our income remains the same. We also need to plan for our children's higher education. My daughter is in grade 10 and with this fee hike we have no other choice but to get her into another school.''

According to a ministry official schools have to apply a month prior to the start of the school.

Statement

An official statement from Global Education Management Systems said that parents of pupils at Cambridge International School, the Westminster School and the Winchester school were informed on Monday of fee increases, ranging from 25 per cent to 35 per cent, effective January 2007.

Previously, in June, parents were informed of a potential fee increase scheduled for September of this year.


Your comments


I can not handle a last minute financial crisis and I strongly protest this unfair practice of hiking up fees to high levels. They don?t understand that by doing so they are causing undue psychological pressure and stress to both the parents and students.
Raaisa
Sharjah,UAE

It is the worst of every thing when the education system becomes more of a business rather than a service that imparts the best education.
Poulose
Dubai,UAE

The maximum increase should not be more than 20 per cent .I am hopeful that the Ministry of Education will look into this matter.
Raza
Sharjah,UAE

Ridiculous and outrageous! Those are the only words coming to my mind. Dubai is becoming difficult to reside in now. One day we will find no expats living here if this continues.
Vinita
Dubai,UAE

I think the ministry should come down hard on the school so that other schools will think ten times before pulling a stunt like this. I agree with all the other parents that this kind of increase would make people rethink about educating their kids in this country.
J Fernandes
Dubai,UAE

I've three children attending one of GEMS' schools. I do agree that the owner has to review the cost and profit of their business, especially with the rapid changes in the market and the increasing cost of every thing, but let it be reasonable. Seventy per cent or even 35% is unbelievable. The management of these schools have to think as parents, and I believe that many of them are parents. To the owner of this business I say, you are investing in people, in the future, in our children and this is a great mission, PLEASE HAVE MERCY.
Samy
Dubai,UAE

It is absolutely ridiculous and shocking to read the school's circular stating that fees are to be increased by 70 per cent.
J Abbas
Dubai,United Arab Emirates

This is ridiculous. Schools should not be allowed to increase fees every year and at least in the middle of any academic year. Such schools should be fined heavily with a warning of severe action to be taken in future cases.
Ajit
Dubai,UAE

This is outrageous and absurd. The Ministry of Education must take this seriously and take action against these schools.
H Azeem
Dubai,UAE

We got the same circular from The West Minster School; really my wife and I were shocked by the 70% increase in tuitions fees. Immediately it became a big concern of our discussion. I think The Ministry of Education should intervene and approach these schools ASAP, so that we as parents should have at least a clear understanding of the situation. Let us show that we are all 'educated'!
H Padunan
Dubai,United Arab Emirates

The authorities should take action against these schools immediately. And make sure that these things are not introduced without prior approval from the ministry of education.
AbuSaleh
Dubai,UAE

Day by day things are getting worse for people with a low income. Rent, school fees and now even the nan (Roni) price has increased to 75 fils instead of 50 fils without a reason.
Hasan
Dubai,UAE

It is really ridiculous to see the drastic increase in the fee and we hope that the Ministry will penalise the schools for implementing the fee increases without proper approval. We are also hopeful that the Ministry Of Education will seriously look into this matter and reject outright the drastic fee increases as many families will be affected by it. The school does not deserve the drastic increases given the pale excuses given in their circular to the parents! Informing the parents does not necessarily mean that the parents will accept the fee hike.
M Husen
Al Barshaa,Dubai

If they are increasing school fees by 70 per cent then that is totally unreasonable. Most parents would not be able to afford it.
Rahulan
Sharjah,UAE

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