Dubai on Wednesday set out plans to encourage schools to reduce the price of education for parents by offering subsidies on running costs.
Aisha Abdulla Miran, director general of Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), stressed the need to deliver "affordable prices" to families as schools embark on expansion drives fuelled by a sustained population boom.
The senior official said the emirate's executive council was seeking to encourage a new wave of investors and address concerns over high fees.
“We noticed talks on social media about the high cost of schools," said Ms Miran during a session held at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum at Dubai World Trade Centre.
"I received a message from a foreigner saying the cost of her children’s education was Dh1 million [$270,000] in Dubai. We are focusing on providing good education with affordable prices for families.”
Under the plan, schools will commit to providing a good education at reasonable prices in exchange for a reduction in building and land rents.
The KHDA, Dubai's private education regulator, is to assess school cost structures and consider whether changes in operational and managements are required to keep costs down.
The scheme will also aim to provide cheaper housing to teachers in a bid to recruit top talent.
“We aim through these initiatives to continue to reduce the cost of education and maintain high quality at the same time to make Dubai a destination in the education sector on both regional and global levels,” Ms Miran said.
Dubai tuition fees
The KHDA announced in May that private schools in Dubai would be allowed to increase tuition fees by up to 2.35 per cent in the current 2025-2026 academic year.
The decision was based on an education cost index issued by the KHDA. It took into account "the operational costs of running a school to offer a high quality of education, including staff wages, support services and rental expenses".
Schools that have been operating for less than three years are not eligible for a fee adjustment. All applications will be reviewed by the KHDA.
Tuition fees vary widely by school but can often exceed Dh100,000 a year for high school pupils.
The fees can be found on each school's website. For example, Kings' School Al Barsha in Dubai, Foundation Stage 1 costs Dh57,999, while Year 13 is Dh105,873.
Brighton College Abu Dhabi charges Dh50,830 for nursery and Dh80,780 for Year 13.
Dubai education drive
Dubai unveiled its Education 33 Strategy, under which it aims to open at least 100 new private schools in the emirate by 2033.
Fifteen new private schools have been launched in the past two years, with the KHDA currently reviewing more than 20 applications for new schools to open over the next two years, the media office added.
There are currently 227 private schools serving 387,441 pupils representing 185 nationalities. There was a 12 per cent increase in pupil enrolment in the 2023-2024 academic year, with a further 6 per cent rise the following year.
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Stormy seas
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
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Best Young Women’s Player
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Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
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Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
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The%20specs
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Our Time Has Come
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'Top Gun: Maverick'
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Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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Key facilities
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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