No fee hike for private schools in Dubai next year – KHDA

Private schools in Dubai will not be eligible to increase tuition fees for the 2020/21 academic year, Dubai’s education regulator, Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), has announced.

Private schools in #Dubai will not be eligible for tuition fees hike from the new academic year, according to the @KHDA https://t.co/6Oqqq9UPpL pic.twitter.com/qy0GDbD4pB

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 13, 2020

The decision was primarily driven by the results of the annual Education Cost Index (ECI) – assessed by the Dubai Statistics Centre – that stood at -2.35 per cent, Dubai Media Office reported.

Generally, the KHDA school fees framework permits schools to increase their fees depending on the index and their inspection results but the negative ECI outcome has prompted the regulator to place a moratorium on tuition fee hikes.

However, some private schools may still be eligible for an exceptional fee raise based on criteria explained in KHDA’s exceptional fee framework guidelines.

“The School Fees Framework prioritises the interests of students and parents and encourages investment in the education sector by allowing schools to develop long-term growth plans, as well as motivating existing schools to improve the quality of education they offer,” said Mohammed Darwish, chief of KHDA’s Regulations and Permits Commission.

“The Education Cost Index provides complete transparency to both families and investors and balances expectations.”

A total of 295,148 students across 173 nationalities are receiving education in schools across Dubai, according to KHDA’s Education Landscape 2019/20 report.

Dubai operates 208 private schools, of which 85 follow the UK curriculum, while 38 and 34 schools follow the American and Indian curriculum respectively, the report revealed.

Read more: Everything you need to know about schools in Dubai