No further school fee increases to be permitted this academic year in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI // No further increases in school tuition fees will be allowed this academic year, Abu Dhabi Educational Council has said, adding that it will fine any school that imposes increased fees.

Adec made schools aware of the process of applying for a tuition fee increase and it received 90 requests for the academic year 2016-2017, with no more being accepted.

Requests are assessed on the basis of several criteria and accumulated points will determine whether the increase is approved or denied.

The criteria covers school evaluation reports, investment in teaching, salaries of technical and administrative staff, professional development, teacher turnover, investment in buildings and mechanisms, in addition to the number of registered special needs pupils and the percentage of Emiratisation in the educational and administrative staff.

Out of the 90 requests received, Adec approved 51 for varied increases that amounted on average to six per cent, The National's Arabic sister paper, Aletihad, reported.