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No fee hike without nod, KHDA warns schools

Dubai — Private schools in Dubai have been warned once again by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) against increasing fees without approval. The education regulator noted an increase in the number of complaints against schools — prompting a strict new warning to be issued.

In a statement, Mohammed Darwish, Chief of Regulations and Permits Commission, said: “Recently there have been cases where some schools have continued with fee related irregularities. The KHDA does not tolerate such behaviour and has been imposing punitive actions on schools that have continued the fee related non-adherences.”

Schools regularly find workarounds to the fee limit by outsourcing transport services, uniform supply and books, which are still not regulated by the KHDA. Parents have voiced concerns about increasing uniform prices and sometimes schools have even forced parents to purchase textbooks only from approved outlets — which are found to be more expensive. 

It remains unclear if the KHDA will regulate outsourced school services at a later stage but the senior official said, “The KHDA is currently in the process of regulating all the costs currently incurred by the parents at Dubai’s private schools.”

He also confirmed that the schools cannot introduce any new fee without prior approval.

“As always, no extra fees can be introduced by schools without KHDA’s prior approval. In case of a situation where schools need approval for services they are offering, they should continue to offer the services uninterrupted until the cost is verified and the approval is obtained,” said the senior official.

Schools in Dubai are mandated to get KHDA’s prior approval on all fees they are currently charging parents or planning to introduce.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com