UAE | Education
Private schools bemoan resource crunch
Managements maintain that fee ceiling compromises development plans.
- By Anjana Sankar, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:46 May 24, 2009
- Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News
- Private schools in Dubai have voiced concern that a second assessment by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority could affect them badly if they are not allowed to hike fees to improve facilities. Photo for illustrative purposes only.
Dubai: With the education authorities closely monitoring the progress of schools that have already undergone an evaluation of their facilities, many institutions now say they will be hard-pressed to show improvement without substantial fee increases.
Schools claimed they are struggling to generate funds to upgrade facilities before they welcome the Knowledge and Human Development Authority's (KHDA) school inspectors for a second round of inspections.
KHDA, during the first cycle of inspections, evaluated a total of 189 private and public schools in Dubai and classified them into four performance categories - outstanding, good, acceptable and unsatisfactory.
School managements said they face a grim future as fee increases over the past years have not kept pace with escalating operational costs.
Speaking to Gulf News, Sunny Varkey, chairman of GEMS Education, a group that manages the largest number of private schools in the country, said many of its middle-level schools are running huge losses amid government regulations that limit hikes in tuition fees.
"We invested over Dh45 million in teachers' salary alone in our schools last year without being able to hike the fees. We were forced to pull out nearly Dh200 million in investments in our existing schools because of the cash crunch," said Varkey.
Related Links
Blunt in admitting that the quality of some of his schools have deteriorated in the last few years, Varkey maintains that the stringent fee regulations imposed by KHDA are actually backfiring.
"How can you achieve quality without investment? If so, I would like someone to show me that. If we make money, we are investing it back in the professional development of our teachers and resource development," insisted Varkey.
According to GEMS, the Winchester School that is rated as 'acceptable' by KHDA, is expected to have accumulated losses to the tune of Dh12.8 million in 2009. The staff salaries and their accommodation cost has gone up by 117 per cent and 221 per cent respectively while the tuition fee increases were only 39 per cent between the period of 2005 to 2009, pointed out Richard Forbes, director, Communications and Marketing at GEMS.
Another private school operator who requested anonymity said private operators who take risks and make investments should be allowed to make profits.
"There is a severe cash crunch for our schools. The inflation in Dubai has gone up so much; the rents we pay to our landlords have doubled. If the education authorities cannot regulate the costs affecting the operators, they should not try to regulate the fee either," said the operator.
Without divulging figures, he said his three schools that have been classified as acceptable are going for the maximum permitted fee increase of 9 per cent because "we have no choice."
Many other poorly performing schools, which have been asked by the authorities to pull up their act or face closure, have also echoed the same sentiments stating that the permitted fee increase does not offer them sufficient resources.
Nikhat Khan, principal of The Oxford School, rated as unsatisfactory by the KHDA, said the school has also decided to hike fees by seven per cent but it is hardly enough.
Aparna Verma, director of Dubai Scholars, an institution that got an acceptable rating, noted that when rents, teachers' salaries and other expenditure continue to rise at a rate of over 70 per cent, private schools cannot sustain themselves with a mere 10 or 15 per cent fee increase.
However, the KHDA has again called for more effective management in private schools. "When schools know that their finances are linked to their performance, they will be motivated to raise standards," said Dr Abdullah Al Karam, chairman and board of directors of KHDA.
Is a school's performance related to its fee increase? Do you look at prices before quality of performance when deciding on a school for your child?
Your comments
It comes as a surprise to me that the schools which are rated as acceptable by KHDA are demanding fee hike to be able to acquire better rating next year. Suppose they do not reach that level of quality education, will they consider reducing their fee structure next year?
Asif
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 14:13
Whatever My Varkey believes, it is evident from discussing the matter with teachers that the substantial increases in fees demanded by GEMS and others are in no way related to increases in tearcher salaries which continue to be on the bottom of the curve for professional workers entrusted with the education and welfare of our children daily. Mr Varkey, I would dearly love to see the books, especially bearing in mind the pupil teacher ratios and the associated basic classroom sums that would lead me and many others to belive that the standard education business model in Dubai is still a source of good profits. I wouder why the 'not for profit' schools in Dubai do not seem to have increased their fees in such an alarming manner yet still seem to provide such a well rounded educational package ?
Mark
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 13:49
I have not seen any improvements in the standard of the GEMS school my daughter is studying inspite of the fee increase. The only change this year was the transportation for which I am paying an additional amount. If only the Management brings in some reforms and then demands the money instead of making people pay through their noses in the name of some hypothetical improvements.
Sindhu Pramod Pillai
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 13:00
Many school teachers' salary is around AED 3500- 5000. I feel the quality of education is very bad. In addition they have increased fees last month as well.
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 10:24
Not necessary, that the fee hike are related to school performance. What prevents a school to hold frequent tests to improve students performance?What prevents a school to have extra curricular activities, what prevents a school from holding sporting activities, what prevents a school to hold competitive activities to build a child's competitive nature-which helps a child to face a future competitive world?What prevents a school to build a child's self-esteem, spirit, self-confidence. all these are the essence of a brighter future for a child. I don't think they need money for it.
Margaret
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 10:16
I think it is wrong to assume that quality will increase if finances are linked to performance, when the same finance is only possible if those responsible for the performance are paid well.
Anthony
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 09:51
I believe the performance is linked how much investment you spend and professional human resources should be recruited by school managment. It is chain linked to each other: if inflation goes up, so will the fees.
Yousuf
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 08:46
I think it is high time that KHDA came up with a ruling asking schools to submit an authorised audit report to the ministry every year. It is mandatory for every business establishment in UAE to do the same. Then why not schools? This way the ministry, government and the parents and the students who are the end users of the services provided by the schools will have some idea about how their money is actually being spent. If Dh45 million was invested on salaries of staff alone by GEMS management, how come that so many of their teachers still seem to be underpaid?
M. W.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 02:08
Latest news
- New road widens Jumeirah Lakes Towers access
- Filipino students, groups attend cultural meet
- For this maestro, it's all about the sound
- Experts can't tell old instruments from new
- Sound of violins
- Facilitators: Helping others find joy
- Volunteers remove garbage from Mamzar beach
- Clean-up campaign set to raise awareness
- Sharjah landmarks bathed in light
- Shaikh Mohammad meets South Korea leader
- Get friends on board, zip away with Salik bonus
- Top Arab advocacy group in dire need of aid
- New rules for Abu Dhabi buildings
- In the pursuit of happiness
- Dubai hospitals debut life-saving procedure
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
