Students who perform well academically can benefit from the opportunities given by the government, as well as various scholarships funded by private schools in Dubai.
Dubai - Parents can also breathe a sigh of relief with the recent announcement of tuition fee freeze.
Published: Mon 18 Jun 2018, 7:29 PM
A school tuition fee freeze for the upcoming academic year in all Dubai private schools; a growing amount of merit-based scholarships and UAE visa extension for academically brilliant students: Is education in Dubai becoming increasingly accessible to students or have the efforts to retain top talent in the country improved?
Either way, students performing well academically can benefit from the opportunities given by the government as well as the various scholarships funded by private schools in the emirate. Parents can also breathe a sigh of relief with the recent announcement of tuition fee freeze for the 2018-2019 academic year, meaning that no private school in Dubai can demand a fee hike.
Numerous scholarships are also becoming available to students performing well in school. Khaleej Times checked out what kind of financial ease is on offer to top achieving pupils and their parents.
At GEMS Education, they have recently launched a new merit-based scholarship programme, which will not only be available to students already part of the GEMS network, but also to students who are willing to shift to a GEMS school.
The programme is designed to reward students excelling in academics, creative and performing arts, sports, innovation and digital technology, and Arabic studies.
Scholarships range from 20 to 100 per cent and are offered for a single academic year, with candidates required to apply for renewal on an annual basis. It's open for students in Grade 6, year 7 and above.
Students from a school outside of the GEMS network will need to register at any of the GEMS Education schools to be eligible for the scholarship.
"Through the GEMS Education scholarship programme, we aim to recognise the UAE's most outstanding and talented students to ensure their great promise is fully realised. The programme is specially designed to identify, nurture and support students through their education, making use of our schools' world-class faculties and facilities," said Manav Fernandez, senior vice-president of CRM and customer loyalty at GEMS Education.
The Arcadia's Associate Scholarship Fund is available at the Arcadia Preparatory School. If parents enroll their children before July 5, 2018, they can avail their scholarship fund that subsidises 20 per cent of the KHDA approved tuition fees and will be applicable for all years that the child is enrolled at the school.
A wide range of scholarships is available exclusively for Emiratis, giving them access to private schooling. The Mohammed bin Rashid Distinguished Students Programme was launched a few years back and helps place top achieving Emirati pupils in private schools.
Scholarships ease access to higher education
Many school tuition fees in Dubai, even with the recent fees freeze, are equivalent to the price of one year at a university in the emirate.
After paying a significant amount of fees and ensuring your children graduate - the payments aren't over. The student also has to get a higher education. So, how accessible is higher education in Dubai?
For starters, exceptional students are eligible for a 10-year visa extension and other students can get a five-year extension once the law is implemented end of this year - which means the legal side is covered.
As for university fees, a wide range of scholarships and 'sibling discounts' are available. If you are a GEMS student, there are scholarship offers you can avail from GEMS Education's UniConnect Programme.
It was launched in 2017 with the goal of partnering with universities and post-secondary education institutions to provide scholarships and financial aid exclusively to GEMS Education students. A total of 34 institutions are now part of the programme, offering access to scholarships valued at over Dh500 million. More universities are set to join UniConnect in the future, providing students with a growing variety of options and opportunities.
"UniConnect's goal is to support young adults through their entire education journey and ensure they are best placed to fulfil their potential and succeed in every aspect of their lives. We aim to help students in their transition from secondary to tertiary education and beyond by providing them with scholarships, greater accessibility and increased opportunity," said Christophe Savard, vice-president of the career and future employment architect at GEMS Education.
The Canadian University in Dubai offers a 10 per cent sibling and spouse discount. Scholarships are also available and students can get awarded a reduction in tuition. Middlesex University has an Academic Excellence Scholarship on offer and gives a 10 per cent sibling discount. Murdoch University Dubai gives a 10 per cent sibling discount on the second family member, a 15 per cent discount on the third family member and a 20 per cent discount on the fourth member.
Scholarships recognise hard work within the student community
(Farhan Kapadia, Parent)
In recent years, school fees have been just too high for many families to afford. So the tuition fees freeze has been a right move by the government and greatly appreciated. I am glad the government has acknowledged the high tuition fees in Dubai. In fact, a 5-10 per cent reduction would have been fantastic as it would have really served a lot of families. But nevertheless, the freeze is a move in the right direction. The money saved helps the families to spend in other areas of the economy. Additionally, the tuition fee freeze also reduces a huge amount of stress especially within families with more than one child.
Education is universal and people come from different backgrounds, therefore, tuition fees should accommodate a range of families. Apart from rent, food, and utilities, parents need to pay for rising school fees. The government should devise a policy to cap the fees and maintain it at a particular level where parents can afford to send their children to school. Many parents have more than one child and that becomes very difficult for them to pay the school fees. Furthermore, there are additional costs for after-school activities such as swimming, sports clubs, uniforms, transport etc. My child has been part of several competitions which required her to travel to other countries and these do increase the financial costs.
Providing scholarships to students would be a great move made by the schools because that would be recognising the hard work of genuine scholars within the student community. It is an already successful programme implemented by universities in the country to financially aid deserving expat students. If a scholarship programme were to be implemented for deserving and merit-based students, it would really help parents. It would be an innovative move by the schools/authorities as it would help the deserving students and it could inspire students to work harder towards attaining it. Furthermore, the scholarship programme would really assist hardworking and talented students from a not-so-strong financial background.
I am confident that the government will assist schools to implement a programme which makes schooling more affordable, as it has been evident with the recent tuition fees freeze.
How accessible is education to children in UAE?
Basic education in Dubai is accessible to all regardless of their caste, religion, creed, gender. Expats having comparatively lower income are also given the opportunity to send their children to school on a low fee as schools taking low fees are also available in Dubai. Schools like GEMS have announced recently that they would provide educational endowments for about 3,000 pupils selected on an individual basis. If schools come up with scholarships and other educational endowments like this it would help deserved students to get a quality education.
(Varsha Akhilesh, Our Own English High School, Sharjah)
There is an ever growing need for education in the UAE, and the country has surely increased its investment in educational resources. Compared to other nations, education is accessible to the majority of the students here. The recent most example is the inclusion of over 4,000 children of determination in public schools. Scholarships are provided to those who are truly deserving and are brilliant learners because nothing can substitute education for a child.
(Riya Sawlani,GEMS Our Own English High School, Dubai)
Schools in Dubai are vastly spread out and if you have the resources to set up a life in the city, then education is definitely accessible to your family. There are numerous schools adhering to specific requirements of diverse students. Scholarships are a growing phenomenon but universities like Herriot-Watt and Middlesex are inducing graduated students to apply and join by providing incentives and scholarships. In my opinion, Dubai doesn't have great attainability of scholarships but more or less the adequate availability.
(Sarah Ronad, JSS International School)
The UAE Government has ensured that education is accessible to all by setting up good schools and encouraging students to keep up their good work. They also provide numerous scholarships in different fields like academics, sports, performing arts etc. There are many institutions and companies who also provide scholarships to students through competitive exams or by showing their expertise.
(Dhanvi Sayani,Gems Our Own English High School Dubai)
Fee reductions in Dubai schools
Besides scholarships, a few schools had also announced a tuition fee reduction for the 2018-2019 academic year.
The Repton School in Dubai announced a fee reduction for its day-students. Fees for the nursery is Dh52,863 and for Year 13 is Dh95,000. For the 2017-2018 academic year, the fees were Dh60,072 and Dh120,145, respectively.
The Foremarke School also announced a fee reduction for the 2018-2019 academic year. The new fees are Dh58,500 for PreKG and Dh83,000 for Grade 7. In the previous academic year, the fees were Dh65,000 and Dh85,000.
KT NANO EDIT
Fair chance for every child
Education is expensive in the UAE, but steps are being taken to make it more accessible to students of all backgrounds, and make the sector more robust and attractive. The government is doing its part, the private sector must contribute too. In our pursuit of academic excellence and a knowledge-intensive society, every child should get a fair opportunity.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
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