Parents in the UAE have told of the financial challenges they face as the new school year approaches, after rises in tuition fees, rent and the general cost of living.
Tens of thousands of pupils will return to classrooms across the Emirates on August 28, requiring parents to pay for new uniforms, textbooks and transport fees.
One mother said her family is moving to a smaller apartment to ease their financial burden.
“We're looking at a few thousand dirhams just for basic items like textbooks, stationery, and uniforms. And that's before we even think about technology or extra-curricular activities,” said Qamar Mohammed, 39, who lives in Sharjah and has two children.
“To add more to our financial responsibilities, we have to move out from our apartment because the landlord increased the rent.
“With the choices around us, it seems we might be moving to a one-bedroom apartment to be able to afford school requirements and rising living costs,” said Ms Qamar.
Tuition fees increase
Private schools in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah were permitted to raise tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year, the first increase in three years.
In Abu Dhabi, schools were allowed to raise fees by up to 3.94 per cent, depending on performance.
Some Dubai private schools were permitted to increase tuition fees by up to 6 per cent, while Sharjah schools were able to raise tuition costs by 5 per cent.
Parents have sought to trim back spending by carpooling and exchanging second-hand textbooks but this only mitigates so much of their expenses.
One parent said her child's school in Sharjah had increased transport fees for the new academic year.
“Last year we paid Dh3,600 on school transportation within Sharjah, but this year it has been increased to Dh5,500 for each child,” said the mother of three.
How to cut down on costs
She said some parents are getting together to make carshare arrangements to save money.
She also buys uniforms directly from retailers rather than from the school to make further savings.
Uniform prices differ depending on the school and age of child, typically ranging from Dh250 to more than D1,000 in some instances.
Norah Khalid, 45, from Egypt, said she had been buying from uniform shops for many years.
“At my children’s school a T-shirt costs around Dh50, trousers and jacket Dh100 each, but from the uniform shop I get all three pieces for a little over Dh100,” said Ms Khalid.
As for textbooks, this is the second year she exchanged some with other parents for her daughter, a Grade 5 pupil at Rosary Private School in Sharjah.
“The costs just keep going up, and this puts us in a situation where we have to come up with ways to save a little,” said Ms Khalid.
Fatemah Abdullah from Abu Dhabi said last week she paid Dh455 for her daughter's nursery uniform.
“I consider this price reasonable but uniform costs at my other three children’s private school are insane,” she said.
“Their prices range between Dh78 and Dh89 for a T-shirt, Dh89 and Dh99 for a shirt, Dh99 and Dh120 for shorts, Dh131 a trousers and Dh367 for a blazer.”
She said there are no uniform shops in the emirate selling school uniforms, meaning she must buy them directly from the school.
Growing pains
Yara Mahmoud, 40, whose son Jad Thaer is a grade 1 pupil at Sharjah’s International School of Chouiefat, said a major issue for parents is how quickly some children outgrow costly uniforms.
“We fully understand that quality comes at a price, and while the uniforms are on the pricier side, I'd be OK with it if they were to last for a full school year,” said Ms Mahmoud, from Jordan.
“Younger children grow quite rapidly. In some instances, I had to purchase a new uniform midway through the year because of how quickly my son outgrew it.”
Trader welcomes summer surge
LCT Uniforms, which has outlets in Sharjah and Dubai, has experienced a boost in trade as the new school year rapidly approaches.
The business, established in 1989, also sells other attire such as hotel and medical wear but typically enjoys a summer back-to-school surge as parents return from holidays.
Owner Abdalrauf Siddiqi said he aims to provide affordable school clothing for parents.
“The company functions as more than a storefront. As uniform manufacturers, we serve a diverse customer base which extends beyond parents.
“We also supply uniforms to various schools, as well as retailers in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and certain African countries.”
Parents can pick up school T-shirts for Dh25, shorts for Dh30 and shirts, trousers and jackets from Dh30.
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Napoleon
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Johnstone, Pickford, Ramsdale
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Godfrey, James, Maguire, Mings, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker, White
Midfielders Bellingham, Henderson, Lingard, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse
Forwards Calvert-Lewin, Foden, Grealish, Greenwood, Kane, Rashford, Saka, Sancho, Sterling, Watkins
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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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.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
