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Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Dubai school fees soar by up to Dh5,000: How are parents coping with the hike?
As Dubai school fees increase by up to Dh5,000, parents are adjusting by paying upfront for discounts or considering school transfers. A wave of school fee hikes has been announced across Dubai, leaving parents to either adapt to the higher costs or consider alternative schooling options. While some families are grappling with increases of up to Dh5,000 annually for each child, others are managing more modest hikes of a few hundred dirhams. Despite the widespread rise in fees, many parents are exploring ways to cope, from paying annual fees in lump sums to researching more affordable institutions. Fee Hikes: What's Driving the Increase? In May 2025, Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) approved a 2.35% increase in the Education Cost Index (ECI) for private for-profit schools for the 2025-2026 academic year. This decision allows schools to adjust their fees based on individual school grades, as determined by the results of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) and the ECI. The change impacts families across Dubai, who have started receiving notifications about the fee increases. The adjustment is part of a broader effort to account for inflation, rising operational costs, and other financial pressures faced by schools. However, while some parents are facing steep increases, others are relieved by more manageable hikes. A Mixed Reaction from Parents Many parents are already feeling the financial strain of the fee hikes. For example, Manal, a Dubai resident with children attending an Indian syllabus school in Al Quoz, shared that her family's total fee increase will amount to Dh400 per year for both of her children. 'I am very glad that the increase is manageable and not a huge burden,' Manal said. 'We had budgeted for an increase this year so we were not caught off-guard,' Khaleej Times reported. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo In contrast, some families are facing much steeper hikes. Vivek, an Indian expat with two children enrolled in a premium school, revealed that his children's school fees currently range from Dh87,000 to Dh92,000 annually. The recent fee hike will cost him an additional Dh10,000 per year for both children. 'However, our school gives the option of paying the entire year's fees in one go,' Vivek said. 'This has given us a lump sum discount, so the total fee increase for me has come to about Dh3,000 per year for both children. ' Meanwhile, other parents like German expatriate Greta, whose three children attend a British syllabus school in Jumeirah, are feeling the squeeze. 'I got the email yesterday that my school fees have been hiked by Dh2,000 per child per annum,' Greta shared. 'That's a total increase of Dh6,000 per year in school fees alone. The books, uniforms, and other study material are not included in that.' Greta admits that she cannot consider switching schools because her eldest child will be entering Year 11 in the upcoming academic year. Instead, she and her husband are adjusting by cutting back on some extracurricular activities to offset the additional costs. The Growing Need for Affordable Options For some parents, the fee hikes have become too much to bear, prompting them to consider transferring their children to more affordable schools. Mohammed Iqbal, whose children attend a British syllabus school in Qusais, expressed relief as his school's increase was relatively modest, Dh1,200 annually. 'I was expecting a little more than that, so I am very happy,' he remarked. On the other hand, parent R.M., whose children attend another British syllabus school, has seen fee increases two years in a row. 'Last year, our school increased fees by 4.55%, and this year again, they announced a 2.35% hike,' R.M. explained. 'While I understand that the cost for businesses is going up, it puts a burden on parents because unfortunately, salaries don't increase at the same rate as the costs. I began researching schools as soon as I heard about the fee hike, but then soon realized that changing schools would bring with it a fresh set of challenges. So we decided to stay put at our current one.' Umm Mohammed, another Dubai parent, decided to move her daughter to a more affordable school before the fee hike was announced. 'We were paying over Dh55,000 in annual fees at our previous school,' she recalled. 'It was already the higher upper limit of what we could afford. So last year, we decided to move her to another school. Now we pay Dh30,000 inclusive of school fees, uniforms, and books. When the announcement of the school fees came, I was relieved. At our previous school, the fee increase would have been really difficult for us. But now, the fee increase is about Dh1,000 per annum. It is very manageable for us. I think it was the best decision to move her," she added. The Bigger Picture: Dubai's Expanding Private School Sector Dubai's private school sector has been booming, with a 12% increase in student enrollment recorded in the 2023-2024 academic year. As of the latest figures, Dubai has 227 private schools serving 387,441 students from 185 different nationalities. The rise in student numbers has likely contributed to the increased demand for private education and the subsequent fee hikes. Despite the challenges, many parents still find value in Dubai's private education system, with some schools offering flexible payment options to help mitigate the financial strain. The diverse offerings of schools, from international curricula to specialized programs, also give parents more choices, though finding an affordable option in the current climate can be challenging.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai schools hike fees: Parents pay up to Dh5,000 more, consider affordable academies
Dubai parents have begun receiving school fee increase notifications after regulators allowed a hike earlier this year. While some will have modest fee increases of just Dh200 per year for a child, parents of more premium schools will see their fees go up almost Dh5,000 annually for one child. To offset the cost, some parents are opting to pay an entire year's fees in one go, while others are looking to move their children to cheaper schools. On the other hand, some parents are happy that their fee hikes have been minimal and affordable. For Dubai parent Manal whose children study at an Indian syllabus school in Al Quoz, the total fee hike for both her children will be Dh400 per annum. 'I am very glad that the increase is manageable and not a huge burden,' she said. 'We had budgeted for an increase this year so we were not caught off-guard.' In May this year, Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) approved an Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.35 per cent for for-profit private schools in the emirate for academic year 2025-2026. This allows schools to increase their fees based on their individual school grade as per the results of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB), and the ECI. Indian expat Vivek has two children studying in an outstanding premium school in the emirate. The current yearly school fees for his children range between Dh87,000 to Dh92,000 and he would have to shell out an additional Dh10,000 per annum for both children together. 'However, our school gives the option of paying the entire year's fees in one go,' he said. 'This has given us a lump sum discount so the total fee increase for me has come to about Dh3,000 per year for both children.' 'No other option' German parent Greta said that she will 'feel the pinch' of the school fees increase but has 'no other option' as all schools have hiked their charges. 'Three of my children go to a British syllabus school in Jumeirah and I got the email yesterday that my school fees have been hiked by Dh2,000 per child per annum,' said Dubai resident Greta. 'That is a total increase of Dh6,000 per year in school fees alone. The books, uniforms and other study material are not included in that. However, changing the school is not an option for us because my eldest will be going to Year 11 in the next academic year and I don't think it is wise to change him now. Maybe next year, I might look into it.' However, she added that she discussed cutting down on some extra-curricular activities and her husband to offset the cost of school fees. 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. For Mohammed Iqbal whose children study at a British syllabus school in Qusais, the increase has been manageable. 'My children are both in secondary school and the total fee hike has been Dh1,200 annually,' he said. 'I was expecting a little more than that so I am very happy.' Second year in a row Parent R.M. whose children attend a British syllabus school in Dubai said she has been hit with fee increases for two years in a row. 'Last year, our school increased fees by 4.55 percent and this year again, they announced a 2.35 percent hike,' she said. 'While I understand that the cost for businesses is going up, it puts a burden on parents because unfortunately salaries don't increase at the same rate as the costs. I began researching schools as soon as I heard about the fee hike but then soon realized that changing schools would bring with it a fresh set of challenges. So we decided to stay put at our current one.' Meanwhile some parents foresaw the fee increase and moved their children ahead of time. Umm Mohammed said that she decided to move her daughter from an expensive school in Dubai to a more reasonable one. 'We were paying over Dh55,000 in annual fees at our previous school,' she said. 'It was already the higher upper limit of what we could afford. So last year, we decided to move her to another school. Now we pay Dh30,000 inclusive of school fees, uniforms and books. When the announcement of the school fees came, I was relieved. At our previous school, the fee increase would have been really difficult for us. But now, the fee increase is about Dh1,000 per annum. It is very manageable for us. I think it was the best decision to move her.'
Khaleej Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
'From 60 to near zero days': Emirates Group cuts down hiring time as AI helps streamline process
Artificial intelligence has helped Emirates Group to cut down the time taken to select a candidate from 60 days to near zero days and saved Dh1.9 million in recruitment costs, according to a senior officer. The technology helped streamline the procedure of hiring, cut down duplication and saved over 1100 days for recruiters. Manal Al Soori, Senior Vice President of HR Group Recruitment at the company revealed these figures during a session at the Dubai AI Week. She explained that it now takes the firm less time to select candidates because several parts of the recruitment process has been automated, using the software by a company called Hirevue. Several of the well-performing candidates are moved into a talent pool, who are then recruited when an opening comes up. 'For example, I know that starting June, our peak travel season begins and we will need additional check-in agents,' she said. 'So, we tap into the talent pool for previously vetted and selected candidates. That is how our selection time has gone down to zero.' She also added that last year, the company received 3.2 million job applications, of which roughly 14,000 people were hired. When a candidate applies to an open post, the system triggers and validates the applicant and a digital assessment is sent to the candidate. Once the assessment is complete, the candidate is put in three tiers: one that will progress, one that will require validation and one that has been rejected. She explained how the group puts checks and balances in place to ensure that there was no hiring bias. 'Recruiters go through the validate and reject tiers to ensure that the clients did not face any hiring or AI bias,' she said. 'If they find a suitable candidate who has been rejected, they will move them over to the progress tier.' The progressed candidates then receive the applicable 'Terms and Conditions' and then share their documents. If they are chosen, they then get an offer letter. Using the AI process, the company has vetted 333,851 applications so far, from which over 26,000 were shortlisted and 2,500 were given an offer letter. The company has a 65 per cent offer acceptance rate. Manal illustrated how prior to using technology, the company was losing time and efforts recruiting for similar jobs across the group. 'There were four jobs: Emirates airport check in agents, call center agent, Marhaba agents and Dnata customer service agent, all similar to each other with almost identical qualifications,' she said. She explained that candidates were applying for all four, duplicating the work of recruiters and causing long delays. 'We merged all four into one job description to simplify landing for candidates,' she explained. 'It immediately improved the quality of the number of applicants we were getting and translated into better candidate as well as recruitment experience.' This process has helped free up 4 out of 6 recruiters to focus on value-add activities, saving 8849 recruiter hours.
