Dubai private schools fee hike linked to its KHDA rating

Yesterday, the Dubai Executive Council reviewed the School Fees Framework submitted by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and announced that around 90 per cent of the private schools in Dubai will not raise their fees more than 2.07 per cent in the upcoming 2019/2020 academic year.

The meeting was chaired by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who is also the chairman of the Executive Council.

During the Dubai Executive Council meeting today, we approved a new framework to regulate school fees, put forward by the @KHDA. It takes into account parents’ interests and efforts to obtain education at an acceptable price, while encouraging the advancement of private schools. pic.twitter.com/FeuQwLwRfN

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) March 25, 2019

Sheikh Hamdan indicated that the new framework adopted by the council linked the permissible fee hike for each school to its performance.

There are annual inspections of the schools conducted by the KHDA and a Dubai Statistics Centre price index for education.

If the schools did not score less than they did the previous year, then they could raise their fees in proportion to the change in the cost of the education indicator. Also, in 2018, the Dubai Statistics Center has valued the education cost index at 2.07

Therefore, private schools whose ranking improved from Very Good to Outstanding will be allowed to increase their fees by 1.5 times of the education cost index value. Schools whose assessment moves from Good to Very good will be allowed to increase their fees by 1.75 meanwhile schools which move from very weak category to weak or from weak to acceptable will be allowed to increase their fees by the double of 2.07.

The new school fees framework will be based on encouraging schools to improve performance & maintain desired quality levels,according to annual inspections and Dubai Statistics Center’s price index for education. No private school will be allowed to raise fees if its rating slips pic.twitter.com/8iEqodDN4S

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) March 25, 2019

Sheikh Hamdan added, “No private school will be allowed to raise fees if its rating slips.”

Acknowledging the plight of parents who were concerned about steep fee hikes, he said, “It takes into account parents’ interests and efforts to obtain education at an acceptable price, while encouraging the advancement of private schools.”