Homeschooling catching up in UAE, helps parents save 50-75%

Dubai - Homeschooling is on the rise globally for reasons like affordability, personalised learning and flexibility in terms of schedule and location.

An increasing number of UAE parents are homeschooling their children as it is a more affordable option for them.

Khaleej Times spoke to four parents who are paying half of the tuition fees, or even 75 per cent less, of what a regular school would cost in the country.

These parents are choosing to homeschool their children not only because it helps them avoid the hefty tuition fees of the UAE schools, but also so they can focus on what they feel are more important subjects for their child's talents and future.

One parent, Ruby Brar, homeschools her seven-year-old Vansh Brar, in Grade 3, and pays only Dh300 for a homeschooling website subscription, which offers a British curriculum education. She is a stay-at-home mum, who teaches her son herself, by printing off study material online.

"Financially, things had started to heat up because there was a fee hike every year. From FS 1 to year 3 we have had a fee hike every year, which made it very clear to us that most schools here are nothing but a successful business model," Brar said. "Homeschooling (fees) has many options. Some are using free online programmes and some are using paid. We are using paid and it's very minimal compared to what we paid all these years.

"I had my older son in the best and most expensive British school in my community. When I first took the tour of the school, I wished I had studied there. It was an amazing facility with corridors filled with exorbitant artworks. Today, when I look back, I realise that no matter how fancy it is - it's a school. Kids are expected to be there at a certain time and do all things in a certain way and follow instructions. As long as you follow instructions, you are a good student and a good future factory worker. You don't need to do things your way as that may disrupt the flow of class."

Brar said ever since she started homeschooling her son, he has been able to place a greater focus on subjects they feel will help him more in the future, such as Math, French language, Science and English (and soon they will be starting with social studies).

Another parent, A. Alshaqra, used to pay Dh15,000 to Dh18,000 for each of her two sons. Now, she pays just Dh12,000 for both together - saving the family nearly Dh20,000 per year.

"School fees nowadays make no sense," Alshaqra said, mum to a 13-year-old and 10-year-old. "I chose an online curriculum that is considered costly but it's less than half of what I used to pay for school.

"Since my kids are in an online system they have teachers who correct their exams and review their projects, so we don't have a problem with that either.

"Now, that studying time is actually focused on proper learning, they have so much more time to do other activities. They made friends in different group circles, such as karate and swimming."

An American mum of two kids, Maryam Ismail, said she paid just Dh10,000 last year for a full "curriculum box set" that her children receive, which includes books, stationery items and the necessary study material for the year.

Ismail, who uses a different US state curriculum for her kids, said what she has paid much less than what she would have to had to pay for regular schooling in the country.

"I have chosen homeschooling instead of the private schools available in the UAE simply because within my area and price bracket, I was not getting my money's worth," Ismail said.

"I found that my kids have a better and more inclusive education. By that I mean not just the three R's - reduce, reuse and recycle - but also history and extras like calligraphy, video production and research skills that go beyond Google and Wikipedia."

Ismail believes that universities "seek out" children who have been homeschooled. She also feels that homeschooled kids make a more "diverse set of friends", retain knowledge of different groups of kids and adults, as well as an increased overall awareness of global issues. "I have found that many universities not only accept homeschooled students, they seek them out. However, there is a sticky point when it comes to finishing. Many universities and colleges require that students take the GED test. It is just an extra step but it is worth it. The problem is, some universities in the UAE are not up to speed and will not accept any online school curriculum, which many homeschoolers depend on," Ismail said.

"In the end it is about having solid record of work done and courses taken and packaging it in a way that is acceptable to universities."

Meanwhile, another American parent of a 15-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter, pays Dh5509 to Dh9,182 per grade.

"Apart from the cost factor, our kids are more rested. They have been to more excursions and day trips in one year as compared to how many they would conventionally in a lifetime. This helps them learn more about the outside world," the parent said.

After all, homeschooling is not a bad idea, makes good sense

Isabelle Gallagher (Education Consultant, IQ Modern Learning Center and General Manager, Homeschool Global ME)

Homeschooling is on the rise globally for reasons like affordability, personalised learning and flexibility in terms of schedule and location. It is also catching on the UAE due to similar reasons.

More families are opting for home education, where quality would not be sacrificed due to affordability.

Private schools seem to be the only option for expatriates in the region. School tuition fees range from Dh5,000 up to Dh100,000 depending on the quality. That is without the additional expenses on uniforms, transportation, extra-curricular activities and lunch allowance. The rising cost of living, families on single income, and with companies doing away with schooling allowances, some households struggle to keep their children in a "good school". Therefore, more families are opting for affordable alternatives such as home education, where the quality of education would not need to be sacrificed due to affordability.

Families who homeschool, are able to do so on a budget of Dh2,000 up to Dh30,000 depending on the programme of choice. This has the potential to account for a savings of between Dh3,000 and Dh70,000 per child, per year.

sarwat@khaleejtimes.com