STS offers refund as more UAE school groups waive transport fee during distance learning

Dubai: The number of UAE school groups suspending or refunding transport fees during the ongoing period of distance learning is growing, with School Transport Services (STS), one of the largest school transport providers in the country, also offering parents a pro-rata refund or credit on April fees.

STS operates transport for schools under GEMS Education, the UAE's largest private education provider, as well as several other school groups. In a circular sent to parents, it confirmed that a pro-rata adjustment would be applied to April transport fees to reflect the reduced services during this period.

The adjusted amount would be credited against the next transport fee payment, or alternatively, a refund could be arranged upon request. For parents who have already paid for the next term or the full year, applicable adjustments will be carried forward into the next academic year. For students in their final year of school, any outstanding balance will be refunded directly.

"Please note that refund requests will be processed once schools reopen and normal operations resume," the circular stated, adding that its teams and fleet would remain in place to ensure full operational readiness for when students return to campus.

For March, transport fees remain payable as per the existing fee structure.

Woodlem sets the tone

As first reported by Gulf News, Woodlem Education on Tuesday became one of the first school groups in the UAE to make a formal announcement of a full waiver of transport fees for the entire duration of distance learning.

The decision benefits more than 20,000 students across its 10 institutions: eight schools and two nurseries spread across Dubai, Ajman and Sharjah.

The waiver takes effect from April 2026, as the transport fee for March had already been collected before authorities extended distance learning until April 17, with the possibility of further extensions.

Noufal Ahmed, Founder and Managing Director of Woodlem Education, described the move as a matter of community responsibility. "At Woodlem, we believe education goes beyond classrooms. In challenging times like these, standing by our parents and easing their concerns becomes our priority. This is a small step to support the Woodlem family," he said.

Ahmed added that the situation would be closely monitored and the decision reviewed based on further developments, and that once schools resume on-site operations, transport fees would automatically be reinstated. The group operates four Indian curriculum schools, three British curriculum schools and one American curriculum school, along with two nurseries.

Not-for-profit commitment

The Indian High Group of Schools, one of the UAE's largest not-for-profit school operators, on Wednesday told parents it would suspend the generation of transport fees entirely for the duration of mandated online learning.

In a circular to parents, Punit MK Vasu, CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools, drew parallels with the school's response during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Despite significant financial constraints, your school offered liberal fee payment options to parents, fulfilled commitments to staff in full and ensured that our infrastructure and resources remained fully prepared for a timely return to on-campus learning. In the same spirit, The Indian High Group of Schools stands with you once again," he said.

The group with more than 13,000 students on three campuses in Dubai confirmed that transport fees would only be charged from the exact date students physically return to school, and not for any preceding days in distance learning.

Going further, Vasu said that even after face-to-face learning resumes, if any specific days are mandated to be online, transport fees would not be levied for those days either.

The group owns and operates one of the largest bus fleets in the UAE, employing a sizeable team of bus captains, assistants, supervisors and maintenance staff, all of whom, Vasu noted, continue to be fully supported. He also highlighted that the school has maintained an unchanged fee structure for eight consecutive years.

Operators feel the strain

Shamsu Zaman CT, Managing Director of Habitat Group of Schools, told Gulf News that the group would not be collecting transport fees from April for as long as distance learning continues.

The decision will benefit around 9,500 students across its three Indian curriculum schools. For parents who have already paid in advance, the amount will be adjusted against future months.

"The transport fee for our Indian schools is among the most affordable in the UAE, capped at a maximum of Dh300 per student," he said.

Zaman explained that the financial burden on the group remained considerable nonetheless. "We operate a fleet of 185 buses, of which 45 are rented. We have written to our rental providers requesting a waiver on the rental charges, which amount to approximately half a million dirhams a month. We have taken this decision without hesitation and without waiting for their response. For our own buses, we continue to meet our bank loan obligations and ensure that every driver and conductor on our payroll is paid their salaries," he said.

JSS waives March fee

Meanwhile, JSS Group of Schools in Dubai revealed that it had gone a step further, having already waived transport fees for the month of March 2026.

Govindarao Naik, CEO of JSS Group of Schools, told Gulf News: "At JSS Group of Schools, the well-being of our parent community remains a priority. We have waived the transport fees for the month of March 2026 across all our schools in Dubai as a measure to support our families. This initiative reflects our continued commitment to ensuring uninterrupted access to quality education."