A Sharjah school bus. Parents have turned to WhatsApp to arrange lifts for their children because they cannot afford transport fees. Pawan Singh / The National
A Sharjah school bus. Parents have turned to WhatsApp to arrange lifts for their children because they cannot afford transport fees. Pawan Singh / The National
A Sharjah school bus. Parents have turned to WhatsApp to arrange lifts for their children because they cannot afford transport fees. Pawan Singh / The National
A Sharjah school bus. Parents have turned to WhatsApp to arrange lifts for their children because they cannot afford transport fees. Pawan Singh / The National

Sharjah parents turn to carpooling after school bus fee increases


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

Parents in Sharjah have turned to car sharing for their children after some private schools increased their bus fees.

Several schools increased their transport fees this year, with rises ranging from 20 per cent to 52 per cent.

Parents of children attending Rosary Private School said fees have increased from Dh3,500 to Dh4,500.

“I didn't register my three children for the school bus this year because I can't afford it,” Younis Mohammed, 45, told The National.

“Instead my brother and I are car-sharing despite work commitments.”

Mr Mohammed, who is from Jordan, said he drops the children off at school in the morning, while his brother picks them up in the afternoon.

I didn't register my three children for the school bus this year because I can't afford it
Younis Mohammed

His brother, Yousif Mohammed, who has two children in the same school, said traffic this year has become worse since parents are driving to school.

“Many parents, some of who I know, didn't register their children [for the bus] since fees were increased,” said Yousif Mohammed.

Mother-of-two Qamar Mohammed, 39, said the International School of Choueifat, where her children are enrolled, also substantially increased the bus fee.

Parents were sent fee tables – seen by The National – that showed trips within the emirate have risen to Dh5,500, from Dh3,600 last year.

“The fee surged from Dh5,100 to Dh6,500 for journeys from Sharjah to Dubai, while costs increased from Dh4,200 to Dh5,700 for trips from Sharjah to Ajman,” she said.

The National approached Rosary Private School and the International School of Choueifat for comment but they did not immediately respond.

Community help

Car-sharing in the UAE is legal, but it is illegal if drivers charge for rides.

In 2019, Abu Dhabi's Department of Transport launched a carpooling system to help reduce the number of cars on the road.

It aimed to allow residents to sign up to offer lifts to others, as well as look up potential rides from others.

Ms Mohammed said some parents have turned to WhatsApp groups to find others who are willing to car-share.

“Each mother is looking for a parent who lives in the same area, asking them to drop off the children and another parent to pick them up,” she said.

Victoria English School said private schools in Sharjah do not make a profit from buses because operational costs are high. Pawan Singh / The National
Victoria English School said private schools in Sharjah do not make a profit from buses because operational costs are high. Pawan Singh / The National

Sharjah Private Education Authority previously told The National that private schools are entitled to apply for fee increases in accordance with governing rules.

The authority also clarified that any change in fee structure is communicated to parents explicitly, during the initial enrolment or re-enrolment.

Financial burden on schools

Amin El Nezami, chairman of Victoria English School in Sharjah, told The National that operating school buses is not profitable.

“Generally, almost all private schools in Sharjah are not making a profit from buses because the operational costs are high,” he said.

These include, he said, licensing from different authorities in each emirate as well as the cost of a bus, which is Dh400,000.

“More costs come from insurance fees, fuel prices, drivers and supervisor salaries, not to mention the costs of regular bus maintenance,” he added.

Emirates Transport, which caters to 246,924 pupils across 615 schools in the UAE, told The National that bus rental prices for schools are influenced by several factors.

The age of buses, whether the lease is based on the number of buses or pupils, whether a supervisor is needed and whether specific technology is required must all be taken into account.

The company said it has competitive prices and does not sacrifice service quality or safety for its fleet of more than 9,100 vehicles.

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Company name: NutriCal

Started: 2019

Founder: Soniya Ashar

Based: Dubai

Industry: Food Technology

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A little about CVRL

Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.

One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases. 

The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery. 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet

Price, base: Dh429,090

Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission Seven-speed automatic

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Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km

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  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
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Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.

Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

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Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
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The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT

Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000

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Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Updated: September 19, 2023, 12:00 PM`