Schools that maintain standards rather than improve each year should not be rewarded by being allowed to hike up their fees, which are already hard to afford, Dubai parents have said.
Their comments come in reaction to Monday's announcement of a new school fee framework, which will allow schools to increase their fees if they either maintain or improve standards based on their Knowledge and Human Development Authority inspection rating.
A school that slips in rating will not be able to increase its fees, while a school that improves its rating can increase its fees by a larger amount. The move follows a two-year freeze on fee rises.
Parents said that they would be happy to pay increased fees, but only if a school was improving.
"Instead of penalising a school for dropping its rating, schools should be penalised for not improving,” said Bhavana Sood from India, who has two children, 13 and 16, in British curriculum schools in Dubai.
"If the school has stayed on the same rating level, then it should not be able to increase fees.
"Schools are very expensive here compared to schooling worldwide. With the UAE focusing on providing an international level of education, schools should be motivated to perform better.
Ms Sood said the now-abolished fee freeze had been welcomed by parents as schooling is increasingly hard to afford and the situation is “not good for most families in Dubai". She said she pays close to Dh90,000 in tuition fees a year for her two children.
The mother suggested that the authorities conduct more random inspections of schools, similar to a visit by a mystery shopper, to get a more accurate picture of how well they are performing. Under the current system, schools are often warned of a visit weeks in advance so they have time to prepare.
Ron Hodkinson, principal of Ontario International Canadian School, also believes anonymous inspections would "level the playing field”.
Under the new fee framework, which will come into force in the next academic year, schools that retain their rating after inspections will be able to increase fees by 2.07 per cent. However, a ‘weak’ school that improves its rating to ‘acceptable’ or ‘good’ can charge 4.14 per cent more.
A school rated 'very good' that improves to 'outstanding' can hike fees by 3.1 per cent.
Lebanese mother of two, TN — who did not want to give her full name — said that schooling is expensive and that the authorities have not taken into consideration the rising cost of other necessary expenses when they decided to unfreeze the fees.
"The cost of education is always a concern for me as a parent, especially because it is not only the school fees that need to be considered, but the extras that are affecting our budget such as uniforms, books and stationery," she said.
"The KHDA and government are monitoring tuition fees but forgetting other elements that can add up to more than the fees themselves.
"With the rise of the cost of living and now education fees, many families will opt to send their children back to their home countries either by themselves or with one spouse, which will affect well-being and happiness levels in the emirate.”
The National wrote last year about parents who were frustrated at the rising cost of school uniforms as they were having to pay thousands of dirhams per child.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
More coverage from the Future Forum
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
