Pupils at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, one of the capital's best-performing schools. Silvia Razgova / The National
Pupils at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, one of the capital's best-performing schools. Silvia Razgova / The National
Pupils at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, one of the capital's best-performing schools. Silvia Razgova / The National
Pupils at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, one of the capital's best-performing schools. Silvia Razgova / The National

Abu Dhabi names 11 top-performing schools eligible for maximum tuition fee increase


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi's private education regulator has named the 11 top-performing schools which will be eligible to raise tuition fees by up to 3.94 per cent for the 2023-24 academic year.

The emirate's Department of Education and Knowledge announced this week that all schools in operation for at least three years would be permitted to increase fees for the first time in three years.

The decision was made based on the findings of an Educational Cost Index, supported by the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi and the results of school inspections, known as “Irtiqaa”.

The latest inspections were carried out in the 2021-22 academic year, with subsequent assessments halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abu Dhabi tuition fee increases

  • Schools ranked “outstanding” in inspections have the option to raise fees by up to 3.94 per cent
  • Schools ranked “very good” can increase fees by 3.38 per cent
  • Schools rated “good” can increase fees by up to 2.81 per cent
  • Schools rated “acceptable”, “weak” and “very weak” can implement a maximum 2.25 per cent increase

As well as 11 schools receiving an 'outstanding' score, 37 were rated ‘very good’ and 85 were rated good.

Another 63 schools were rated acceptable and one school was rated weak.

The inspections assess schools based on pupil achievement and personal and social development, as well as standards of teaching and curriculums, leadership, management and support structures for pupils.

Inspectors spend about four days at each school to evaluate their overall performance.

Schools receiving the highest rating of “outstanding” are said to have substantially exceeded expectations under the assessment criteria.

Abu Dhabi's 'outstanding' schools

  • Al Muna Primary School
  • Al Yasmina School
  • Bloom Academy Al Ain
  • Brighton College Abu Dhabi
  • Cranleigh School Abu Dhabi
  • Merryland International School
  • Pearl Primary School
  • Raha International School
  • Repton Foundation School
  • The British International School
  • The British School Al Khubairat

Adek said the decision to implement the increases is optional, allowing schools to consider the needs of their communities and pupils before making the final decision.

The regulator said the “three-year pause” in tuition costs was made to support parents during the pandemic and recovery period.

It declined to comment further on its decision to allow schools to increase fees.

Financial pressures for parents

Souha Itani, 51, from Lebanon, has two children who attend Brighton College, one of the schools allowed to make the maximum 3.94 per cent tuition increase.

She said any rise would prove challenging for parents.

“There has been a significant increase in the cost of living over the past few years with lack of corresponding salary hikes,” she said.

“For the past two years my employer has been covering school allowance but it doesn’t mean I don’t care because I paid it myself before.”

Ms Itani emphasised the additional costs that come with sending a child to school, including international exam fees as well as extra-curricular activities.

“I pay a little more than Dh72,000 every year for each of my two daughters,” she said.

Hind K, 40, an Emirati mother of two children attending British International School in Abu Dhabi, also eligible for the maximum tuition increase, said times were already tough for parents.

“We already struggle to pay the current fees, and this increase will make it even more difficult for us,” she said.

“The authorities should reconsider this decision and find alternative ways to support schools without burdening parents.”

She said her family pays approximately Dh120,000 ($32,675) for their two children in FS2 and Year 9, before taking into account costs of uniforms, activities, trips and transportation.

“If increases continue to be passed how much will we end up paying by the time my youngest is in secondary school?” she said.

“My friend’s son is at a UK university and his education along with housing doesn’t exceed Dh100,000.”

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
LAST-16 FIXTURES

Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:

Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Game is on BeIN Sports

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. 

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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

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Director: Sree Narayan Singh
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The details

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Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
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if you go

The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.

The trip 

Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.

The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3

Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)

Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)

Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)

Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Updated: April 15, 2023, 11:04 AM`