No fee increase for Qatar's private schools

Manama: Qatar's Supreme Education Council has not given permission to any private school to raise fees for the 2011-2012 academic year, council sources said.

The clarification came in response to complaints that some schools have reportedly announced new fee structures for next year.

In January, the Supreme Education Council (SEC) said that private schools planning to increase their fees should seek its approval.

A source at SEC's Education Institute said that a number of schools had sought the permission, but no decision has been taken on the matter, Qatari daily The Peninsula reported on Thursday.

No school is allowed to announce a fee hike without SEC's written approval, the source said.

Under the rules, any school seeking an increase in the fees is required to cite the reasons supported by the necessary documents. The rule applies to tuition fees and all other fees charged by the school, including transport fees and textbook fees.

Schools that announce an increase in their fees without SEC's permission could have their licence revoked.

A private school affairs panel was set up last year to look into applications from private schools seeking fee increases.

A school may seek a fee hike if it has moved to new premises with advanced facilities or added new classrooms, laboratory equipment or other facilities or if it upgrades safety and security facilities.

The schools, while seeking a fee hike are also required to provide details of all the fees that they have been charging for the past three years.

Some parents have complained that many community schools in Doha have been raising prices of textbooks almost every year, allegedly making huge profits. "Text book prices are going up almost every year. We don't know whether the schools are permitted to do that," said a parent, quoted by the daily.