FULL LIST: Dubai's most expensive private schools in 2023-2024
School fees in Dubai can really cut into the family budget, with many institutions charging tens of thousands of dirhams a year.
But Dubai is home to 217 private schools, meaning parents have several options to choose from.
Fees at the top schools can vary widely. Gems World Academy, an International Baccalaureate school, charges Dh117,552 ($32,000) for Year 12, while Gems Our Own English High School charges Dh15,759.
Both have been rated “very good” by the emirate's private school regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
Parents do not need to make a choice between quality and price, however, as a number of reasonably priced schools have been rated highly by the regulator.
The KHDA has rated 36 schools as “very good”, of which eight charge less than Dh35,000 a year.
The Indian High School, Delhi Private School Dubai and Gems Our Own English High School — all Indian curriculum schools — charge less than Dh16,000 a year, even for senior years.
Schools in Dubai were assessed by KHDA inspectors this year.
The National takes a look at eight "very good" schools that offer a high quality of education at a reasonable price.
The Indian High School: Up to Dh10,465 a year
Many Indian schools in Dubai have recorded a rise in enrolments, particularly from families who moved to the UAE this year, and The Indian High School is one of them.
The school in Oud Metha was founded in 1961 and is one of three campuses that make up the Indian High Group of Schools. More than 15,000 pupils attend the schools.
About 9,000 pupils currently attend the Oud Metha campus.
It is one of the oldest and largest schools in Dubai and opened a new three-storey building in May that features dozens of classrooms, laboratories and activity rooms.
The expansion will also enable the school to accept pupils on its waiting list.
The school has also established a well-being centre, where pupils can seek help from counsellors if they have mental health concerns.
Annual fees start at Dh5,525 and go up to Dh10,465.
Delhi Private School Dubai: Up to Dh14,848 a year
Delhi Private School Dubai has been rated “very good” for six years in a row and has about 3,800 pupils enrolled.
The school in Jebel Ali follows India's Central Board of Secondary Education curriculum and says it focuses on academic excellence, leadership, pastoral care and ensuring children receive emotional support.
It has 288 teachers and a turnover of 16 per cent.
The school was one of the first to enact the KHDA's Rahhal programme, an initiative that treats all forms of learning as legitimate.
“Change is always good and one should not ignore new trends,” principal Rashmi Nandkeolyar said in 2019 when the school signed up for the Rahhal initiative.
“Finland has shown that alternative methods of education do work. You can see the shift in education."
Pupils who are part of the programme can at times be allowed to miss classes due to a tournament or for skills development.
Fees at the school range from Dh10,607 in kindergarten to Dh14,848 in Grade 12.
Gems Our Own English High School: Up to Dh15,759 a year
The Indian curriculum school in Al Warqa 3 has more than 10,400 pupils and is one of the emirate’s largest schools.
It is also one of the oldest in the Emirates and celebrated its golden jubilee in 2018.
The school has pupils from 17 different countries. It is coeducational from kindergarten to Grade f and is for girls only from Grades 5 to 12.
Staffed by 471 teachers, the school has a 1:22 teacher-pupil ratio and a staff turnover of 15 per cent.
Fees at the school range from Dh7,454 in kindergarten to Dh15,759 in higher grades.
The school has been rated “very good” by the KHDA since the 2015-2016 academic year.
MSB Private School: Up to Dh22,500 a year
MSB Private School was established in 1985 and now has two campuses for primary and secondary education.
The school in Al Nahda 2 follows the National Curriculum of England and Wales from Year 1 to Year 9, and IGCSE in Years 10 and 11.
It is one of the least expensive UK-curriculum schools in the emirate.
Annual fees at the school range from Dh9,894 in the foundation stage to Dh22,500 in Year 13.
The school says it focuses on preparing pupils to be analytical, imaginative, action-orientated and caring.
JSS Private School: Up to Dh25,116 a year
JSS Private School in Al Safa is an Indian curriculum institution established in 2011.
The school has more than 2,000 pupils enrolled from pre-primary level to Grade 12.
Fees start at Dh11,565 in pre-primary and reach Dh25,116 in Grade 12.
The school says it aims to help ensure pupils become confident global citizens with a keen sense of commitment, social awareness and responsibility.
It offers blended trips, dance, music, drama and group projects.
The Millennium School: Up to Dh25,594 a year
The 22-year-old school in Al Qusais has about 2,800 pupils enrolled from pre-primary to Grade 12.
It was established in 2000 with only 40 pupils and 11 teachers.
Today, there are 160 teachers, with staff turnover of 9 per cent.
Fees at the Indian curriculum school start at Dh17,405 in pre-primary and go up to Dh25,594 in Grade 12.
The school focuses on providing personalised and digital-driven learning.
The Winchester school: Up to Dh31,760 a year
The school teaches the National Curriculum for England and Wales to pupils from foundation stage one to Year 13.
The school was established in 2003 and has about 3,900 pupils.
It is ranked “very good” by the KHDA for effective teaching and assessment across all grades.
The curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs of pupils and it has been rated outstanding in this category.
Fees at the school start at Dh14,237 in foundation stage one and go up to Dh31,760 in Year 13.
Gems New Millennium School: Up to Dh31,025 a year
Located on Al Khail road, the school follows the CBSE curriculum but offers secondary pupils the option to study the IGCSE British curriculum.
Pupils can either choose to go down the CBSE route or pick the IGCSE curriculum in Years 10 and 11, and the AS and A levels in Years 12 and 13.
The school improved its inspection ranking from "good" to "very good" in 2019.
There are pupils from more than 30 different countries at the school. Fees range from Dh18,733 (with a discount) in pre-primary to Dh31,025 in Grade 12.
Dubai's top-ranked private schools — in pictures
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
