School fee hikes to be linked to performance

Beginning next academic year, Ministry of Education will link school fee hikes in private schools to the quality of education provided and the schools' academic performance.

According to Maryam Al Ali, Director of office of supervision and control over private schools, MoE, the new mechanism to be adopted after a detailed four-phase study will help reduce the indiscriminate and unjustified fee hikes by private schools, reported Al Khaleej newspaper.

There will be no amendment to the current fee structure, however, the study aims to control unjustified hikes in the future, said Maryam.

About 52 per cent parents are not satisfied with school fees and the ministry has received several complaints, she added.

The first phase of study will analyse the current status of schools including their fees. The second phase will include parents' participation. Questionnaires will be given to parents to guage their opinion about the policies of schools in relation with the fees.
 
The third phase will include developing appropriate mechanism to adjust fees according to the quality of education provided based on the first two phases.

The fourth phase, expected in the first half of the next academic year, will include adoption of the new mechanism, said Maryam.

MoE authorities and officials from educational zones will form the panel conducting the study.
 

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