DUBAI // Parents in financial strife are defaulting on their children’s school fees at an alarming rate, a community group says.
The Pakistan Association Dubai says it has paid more than Dh1 million to help parents who have defaulted on school fees – double the amount for last year.
Pad has contributed to school fees for 41 children, said Dr Faisel Ikram, its secretary general. “We have received another 54 applications, which will cost about Dh175,000,” he said.
Last year, Pad paid school fees for 115 pupils at a cost of Dh600,000.
English Language School, a community school in Oud Metha, has passed a list of 25 pupils in need of help to the association.
“This year has been quite shocking,” said Mohammed Bajwa, the school’s accountant. “Even families who never missed any fees for years have not been able to pay a penny this year.
“In 12 years in the school, this is the first time I have seen such a large number of fee defaulters.”
The struggle to afford school fees in Dubai has led many families to send their children back to Pakistan, Mr Bajwa said.
“All these students belong to middle or low-income families whose fathers have either lost their jobs or are facing other financial crunch in their businesses,” he said.
About 1,500 pupils attend English Language School at an average cost of Dh10,000 a year.
A widowed mother, 45, who lost her job six months ago is unable to afford school fees for her 16-year-old son this year.
“I was working in a private company in Dubai and was earning Dh6,000,” she said. “But six months ago I lost my job due to the financial crisis. Since then I have not been able to pay the fees of my son.”
Her son is in Grade 9 at English Language School, which she says has been patient with payment delays. The school has been “compassionate so far”.
“But I am not sure how I would manage the money without a job,” she said. “I am very worried about my son’s future. I never want his education to be disrupted because of money.”
Pakistan Education Academy is another school dealing with many pupils whose parents have defaulted on payments.
Siddique M, an accountant at the school, said he had sent the names of 80 pupils whose parents had not been able to pay their fees for months to Pad for sponsorship.
Another concern is the number of children who have stopped attending school.
“There are many who have stopped coming to school without any notice,” said Siddique. “However, we will have a clear picture of defaulting and dropout students after summer vacations.”
The school enrols 1,600 pupils at an average annual fee of Dh8,000.
While no official statistics for dropout and default rates are available, sponsorship requests received by Pad show the situation is cause for great concern, Mr Ikram said.
“We are working to maintain the exact statistics,” he said. “It is crucial to know the depth of the problem in order to find the long-term solutions.
“Meanwhile, we will continue to do our best to support families so that the education of these children should not be interrupted.”
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
