UAE schools use fee hikes to raise teachers' salaries, upgrade facilities

Students returned on August 26 to renovated facilities following their long vacation

Nandini Sircar

Published: Wed 28 Aug 2024, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Thu 29 Aug 2024, 11:17 AM

The fee increase introduced by schools earlier this year has been allocated for various infrastructure improvements typically carried out during the summer months when students are on break.

School leaders from various institutions across different emirates emphasised that the two-month summer vacation is the optimal period for renovating school facilities.

Students returned on Monday to upgraded school facilities following their long vacation. The improvements for pupils include smart classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and resource centres, along with enhanced ICT (information and communication technology), sports, and recreational amenities.

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Sangita Chima, Amity School Dubai Principal said: “A significant part of the revenue is used to develop the school facilities. This year we have a newly furnished IT laboratory for the Grade 10 students. This includes, equipment, technology, and software for the various learning opportunities across all phases … also all labs have been furnished with adequate facilities as the student strength has increased significantly.”

Notably, private schools in Dubai were allowed to increase their fees by up to 5.2 per cent, this year, depending on how they fared in the latest Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) annual inspections.

Teacher development

Principals in other emirates also noted that in addition to infrastructure upgrades, these (fee hike) resources have also been utilised for faculty training.

James McDonald, Principal/CEO, GEMS Wesgreen International School – Sharjah said: “While a portion of fees is allocated to infrastructure enhancements and ensuring our campuses are equipped with the latest resources, we also invest significantly in teacher development and student programmes."

"This holistic approach ensures that our students benefit from not only state-of-the-art facilities but also from highly skilled educators who are continuously developing their craft. Every aspect of fee allocation is carefully planned to maximise the educational experience and to support our students’ academic and personal growth,” he said.

McDonald stated that the school has recently built robotics and STEAM rooms, which are now outfitted with cutting-edge resources, as well as renovated reception areas in both the Administration and Kindergarten buildings.

“We have also created dedicated prayer rooms for our secondary students, ensuring their spiritual needs are supported. Looking ahead, we are excited about the upcoming indoor extension to our Kindergarten farm and the installation of retractable cricket nets on both campuses,” he added.

Moreover, some school heads highlighted that any increases primarily go toward teacher salaries.

Simon Herbert, Head of School/CEO, GEMS International School – Al Khail, said: “Any increases are first and foremost diverted towards teacher salaries and are not as a result of facility upgrades. That said, it is of course vitally important that our schools are maintained to meet the high standards that our families rightly expect and deserve. We believe the enhancements at GIS over the summer reflect the strategy, vision, and mission of our school.”

Principals highlighted that parents and families coming in for the new school year were visibly impressed by the upgraded lobby, reception, finance, and admissions areas.

“We also have a new Primary Inclusion Centre, which reiterates the emphasis on serving our diverse community. Our Primary arts rooms have increased in size, as has the IB DP/CP ‘Senior Hub’, which caters to our Grade 11 and 12 students. We also have a new, soon-to-open sports hall. All in all, it’s been a very busy summer for the contractors and our facilities teams – and we are most grateful to them for their hard work,” Herbert added.

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