Dubai School Group Chooses Not to Increase Fees Despite Approval

A school group in Dubai has decided not to raise school fees for the new academic year. This decision contrasts the allowance given to private schools in Dubai to increase fees by up to 5.2 percent, based on their performance in the latest annual inspections.

KHDA’s Guidelines and Fee Adjustment:

Dubai’s education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced an Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.6 percent. This index will help schools adjust their fees for the upcoming 2024-25 academic year.

Punit MK Vasu, CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools, elucidated the rationale behind the school group’s decision not to increase school fees for the second consecutive year. Despite KHDA’s permission to adjust fees beyond the normal scale, the school group opted to maintain the status quo.

Empathy for Parents: Financial Challenges:

The CEO emphasized the school group’s empathy towards parents facing financial challenges. By refraining from a fee increase, they aim to provide parents with financial flexibility to allocate resources to other priority areas for their children’s education.

The school group pledges to continue investing in technology, learning tools, and infrastructure to enhance teaching-learning methodologies. Transportation services and infrastructure upgrades are highlighted as significant provisions for the upcoming academic year.

Focus on Staff Wellbeing and Happiness:

The school group remains committed to staff well-being and happiness, implementing performance-based appraisal programs and incentives to foster a positive working environment.

By choosing not to implement a fee increase, the school group believes it can alleviate financial burdens on parents while defying inflation and rising operational costs. They express willingness to collaborate with other schools to achieve similar goals and ensure access to quality education without undue financial strain.