Extra-Curricular, but not Optional for Many

In the WhichSchoolAdvisor.com Fees and Financing survey we asked UAE parents how much pressure they felt in sending their children to extra-curricular classes.

Over one in two parents felt a degree of pressure as something they "should" do. For a further 15% of respondents, the pressure they said is "intense - it's not really a choice".

Correspondingly, 65% of respondents to the survey said extra-curricular charges were another source of financial stress for themselves and their families.

The majority of UAE parents - 70% - pay between less that 1000 AED per month for extra-curricular activities for their children - some considerably less. Some however pay far more. One in ten respondents claim to be spending more than 30,000 AED annually, while 4% of respondents claim to be spending over 60,000 AED per annum.

Note, spend on extra-curricular activities increases with the age group of the child. Less parents consider cost an issue when they have children in KG and primary schools. Costs increase as children move into secondary and then post-16 education.

Age also has an effect on how much is spent on school trips. While international trips are not an issue for families with young children, they are increasingly another cost parents with children in secondary and post-16 schools need to budget for.

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