Dubai private school earnings rise $190.5m in 2017-2018

Parents in Dubai may take some comfort from a government decision to freeze school fees after it emerged that private school earnings rose Dhs700m ($190.5m) in the current academic year compared to 2016-2017.

Figures published by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in its 2017/2018 report showed earnings totalled Dhs7.5bn ($2.04bn) compared to Dhs6.8bn ($1.85bn) in the previous academic year.

This came after schools were given permission to increase fees by 2.4 to 4.8 per cent for the current academic year based on performance.

Outside of rising fees, the increase in earnings was in part linked to a 2.9 per cent rise in enrolment and the opening of 11 new private schools in the current academic year.

KHDA said 53 per cent of students were paying less than Dhs20,000 ($5,445) in annual school fees, a reduction of 4.5 per cent compared to the 2016-2017 academic year.

The average school fee was Dhs26,865 ($7,314) excluding discounts.

Government authorities recently announced that school fees would be frozen for the 2018-2019 year amid cost of living concerns from parents.

Read: Dubai freezes private school fees for 2018-2019

Most parents have welcomed the move but one of the largest local school operators Gems Education reportedly told staff last week that it would mean salaries are frozen for the foreseeable future.

Read: Dubai’s Gems Education to freeze teacher salaries

A study conducted by HSBC last year revealed that the UAE has the second highest school fees in the world.

According to the report, it costs approximately $99,378 or Dhs365,025 to educate a child from primary school through to university in the emirates.

Read more: UAE school fees second highest in the world – HSBC study