Parents frustrated as Dubai Schools allowed a fee hike

Parents are frustrated as private schools in Dubai are allowed to rise fee up to 4.8 per cent for the next academic year.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) stated that the best-performing private schools in Dubai could raise their fees by up to 4.8 per cent.

Many parents were disappointed because their already tight budgets would have to be stretched further to pay for the increases.

The Education Cost Index (ECI) is calculated by Dubai Statistics Centre and allows schools to raise fees based on their performance in KHDA inspections.

Dubai schools rated as “outstanding” can choose to increase fees by twice as much as the ECI’s base rate, or 4.8 per cent.

“Very good” schools can boost tuition costs by 1.75 times the ECI, and “good” schools by 1.5 times. Schools classed as “acceptable”, “weak” or “very weak” can increase fees only by the ECI’s 2.4 per cent base rate.