The tuition fees are the main concern of parents of students in private schools, making frequent remarks about their "unjustified" increases, as they "open up rear doors for extra money." They called on the ministry to intervene to prevent their exploitation from schools.

Parents of students told Emirates Al-Youm that the fees published by many schools on their websites are "deceptive," pointing to the existence of other undeclared fees, which are presented under unclear terms.

School administrations responded that "the fees for services and enrichment requests received by students during the academic year are optional and do not go to the school treasury." The Ministry of Education stressed the need for schools to abide by the executive regulations, which stipulate that no extra fees , Or without prior consent.

Sami Awad, a student of grades 8 and 10, said he had moved his two sons from their school in Sharjah to another in Dubai. From the first days of submission of their papers, he was surprised by financial claims from the students' registration fees, including the application fee, AED 150 per student, the file opening fee, the admission exam and the seat reservation at AED 1500, .

"The school did not deduct the admission fee from the first installment of the tuition fees that I received from me before the start of the school year, although the parent and school contract recognizes admission fees as part of the tuition fee."

Awad said that "parents are deceived by the fees that are published on the website of the school, they choose the school because the fees commensurate with their financial potential, but they are surprised by other fees more than the value of those announced, and increase rate of at least 30, Students financially.

"The students are absolutely certain that the goal of the majority of private schools is to increase financial profits without considering the ability of parents to continue to meet their increasing demands," said a student at the ninth grade of a private school, Mansour Ibrahim. Increases as mere "back doors", "baseless arguments, and only means that education has become a popular trade."

"Many private schools are exploiting parents financially, as their claims are no longer limited to tuition fees, but they are opening up windows to circumvent rules and regulations in order to drain the pockets," said the guardian of three students in different classes.

"The private school is asking for parents in color days, animal days, overpriced uniforms, graduation ceremony (graduation graduation) and graduation graduation fees," she said. "We no longer understand what a kindergarten graduation and other transport classes are before the twelfth grade, as well as the prices of excursions and other sporting activities." "When we talk to the school administration about these cartoons, they try to convince us that most of the drawings are optional, "It is true that this is a form, but it is a mandatory fee. The schools decide it, exploiting the psychological factor of the children and their parents because they are sure that the guardian will not leave his son affected by his colleague who participated in a trip without doing the same with him."

For their part, principals of private schools, who did not wish to be named, emphasized that the fees for the services and the enrichment requests received by their schools during the academic year are "optional and do not go to the school treasury." Is the basic fee, without adding the cost of books, uniforms and buses ».

The participants in the activities, events and enrichment programs are not binding, and are not asked about those who do not attend them, explaining that the students are obliged to pay the value of the educational services specified by the guardian's contract only, while the rest of the optional claims are subject to the wishes of the guardian and his financial ability, The schedule of its activities and activities at the beginning of the academic year, so that the students can study and choose the most suitable for their children.

The Ministry of Education assured Emirates Al-Youm that the ministry is keen through the supervision and quality teams that carry out field visits to schools and the educational field to ensure that the school is committed to the approved tuition fees, and also by checking the complaints received from parents to know what is happening on the In case the offense is proven, the school is fined and obligated to return fees that are contrary to the students' parents.

He added that the ministry stresses the commitment of schools to the executive regulation, which stipulates that no additional school fees not stipulated in the regulation, or without the approval of the Ministry, and set instructions and controls.

Legal framework

Dr. Ahmed Darwish, Executive Director of the Licensing Sector at Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said that the school and guardian agreement, which is the legal framework guaranteeing the rights and responsibilities of the parties in relation to various aspects relevant to children's education, includes a full section covering mandatory fees, Additional fees are optional. The private schools are subject to the fees stipulated in the contract signed by the guardian and the detailed details of the fees approved by the competent team in the Authority.

Darwish stressed that the Authority works in coordination with the concerned authorities in the Emirate to ensure the rights of students and their families in relation to the fees of school services provided by private schools through an external service provider, such as bus fees, uniforms and school books, which are offered in two ways: , And in this case are subject to the framework of the control of school fees and the requirements of the Commission, and the school can not impose any increase before obtaining the approval of the Commission, while the second method is contracting with third parties providing such services, in this case does not interfere in the determination of fees and subject to the jurisdiction Jah T and other government concerned.

• «Knowledge»: «School contract and guardian» shows mandatory and optional fees.