Average School Fee Rises to 17,172 AED

The average fee paid for a pupil to attend a Dubai school has risen to Dh17,172 a year according to figures released by the emirate's education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

About 15 per cent of parents now pay more than Dh35,000 a year - per child.

Driving the increase in prices is a lack of competition between schools, or too much competition for parents looking to secure the right education for their child. Enrollment at private schools have doubled in the past 10 years, exceeding 200,000 pupils for the first time according to the KHDA's figures.

Two factors have contributed to the demand: The growth in the number of Dubai expatriates (residents in the emirate now number 2 million) and the rise in the number of Emirati parents preferring to send their children to private schools.

Pupil numbers at private schools rose by 7.1 per cent in the past year, as fees increased by 4.5 per cent.

Authorities say total revenue of schools this year increased by 12 per cent from the previous year.

School operators argue that while the revenue has increased, their operating costs have been growing as well.

They say the need to offer competitive salaries with benefits including housing and career-development programmes to attract the best teachers and to upgrade facilities justifies an increase in the fees.

The most in demand, and expensive schools are those following the UK curriculum. Pupil numbers at such schools have increased by 22 per cent since the 2008-2009 academic year.

At the same time, pupil numbers rose by 19 per cent in US-system campuses, and 14 per cent in Indian schools.

Pupil numbers decreased by 2 per cent in schools that followed the national curriculum.