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Khaleej Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: KHDA allows private schools to raise fees for next academic year
Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) approved, on Friday, an Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.35 per cent for for-profit private schools in the emirate for academic year 2025-2026. The decision is based on the annual review of audited financial statements submitted by Dubai private schools, in collaboration with the Digital Dubai Authority. KHDA, Dubai's education regulator, noted 'the ECI takes into account the operational costs of running a school to offer a high quality of education, including staff wages, support services, and rental expenses.' In Dubai, for-profit schools can increase their fees based on their individual school grade as per the results of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB), and the ECI which is calculated on a regular basis. Any fee increase can only be implemented for a particular academic year and cannot be carried forward to the upcoming academic years. The ECI is based on the annual audited financial statements of private schools in Dubai, which outline the operational cost of running a private school to offer a high-quality education. The ECI used for the current school year (2024-2025) was 2.6 per cent. Transparent methodology 'The ECI for fee adjustments is based on a robust and transparent methodology that supports schools in Dubai to manage their resources while maintaining a high quality of education in line with the needs of students and parents,' noted Shamma Al Mansouri, director of licensing and education services at KHDA. 'This sustainable approach to regulating school fees reflects Dubai Government's commitment to transparency and efficiency in the education sector. It ensures that Dubai remains a leading destination for high quality education in line with the goals of the Education 33 Strategy,' she added. KHDA said they have informed all private schools in Dubai about the requirements for submitting fee adjustment requests for the next academic year. 'Eligible for-profit schools may apply for an increase up to, but not exceeding, the approved ECI. Private schools that have been operating in Dubai for less than three years are not eligible for a fee adjustment. All applications will be reviewed by KHDA to ensure they meet the criteria for fee increases,' KHDA underscored. Dubai currently has 227 private schools serving 387,441 students from 185 nationalities. The sector recorded an unprecedented 12 per cent increase in student enrollment in the 2023-24 academic year. According to KHDA, enrollment grew by a further 6 per cent during the 2024-25 academic year. Fifteen new private schools have opened in Dubai in the last two academic years, and KHDA is currently reviewing more than 20 applications for new schools set to open in the next two years. The opening of new schools and steady enrolment growth in Dubai's private education sector support the objectives of the Education Strategy 33, which aims to open at least 100 new private schools by 2033.
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's KHDA announces pause on some school inspections for 2025-26
No inspections will be conducted for Dubai private schools during the 2025-26 academic year, the emirate's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced on Friday, May 16. 'The decision – part of an evolving approach to supporting quality education in the emirate – applies to all private schools, except for those in their third year of operation, that will be subject to a full inspection,' KHDA said in a statement shared with Khaleej Times. '(We) will continue to monitor school performance through targeted visits focused on specific areas related to educational quality and ongoing development. These visits will be informed by feedback from the school community and aligned with the Education 33 strategy's priorities,' KHDA added. 'Dubai's private schools have consistently demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to students' learning and wellbeing,' Fatma Ibrahim Belrehif, CEO of the Education Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency at KHDA further explained. She noted: 'The suspension of inspections next year will allow for greater collaboration and reflection on how we define and support quality in education. Through targeted visits and ongoing engagement with schools, we will ensure that every child in Dubai continues to receive a high quality education that aligns with (our) goals.' Self-evaluation forms All schools, however, are expected to continue administering external benchmark assessments to monitor and report students' academic progress. Schools will also be required to provide regular updates through their self-evaluation forms (SEF). According to Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB), SEF outline the improvement process of a school, where they are asked to respond to specific questions about their 'provision for special educational needs, early years formation, innovation, the UAE National Agenda, social studies and students for whom English is an additional language (EAL).' All schools must complete the KHDA self-evaluation online document at least two weeks before their inspections. Meanwhile, KHDA early this month approved private schools in Dubai to raise school fees for next academic year on the basis of Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.35 per cent. In Dubai, for-profit schools can increase their fees based on their individual school grade as per the results of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB), and the ECI which is calculated on a regular basis. Any fee increase can only be implemented for a particular academic year and cannot be carried forward to the upcoming academic years.
