Dubai’s Private School Fees Framework: A Critical Discussion

Abstract

90% of the Dubai’s K-12 educational provision is in the hands of the private sector, with the majority of schools operating on a for-profit basis. Demand for private schooling is unabated. In its attempt to strike a balance between consumer protection and continuing to attract private investment to address the shortage of school places, Dubai’s newly appointed regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), introduced the School Fees Framework (SFF) in 2012. This article explores the circumstances that led to the framework’s creation, and attempts to document its development. It also analyses the SFF’s objectives, how these relate to KHDA’s strategic aspirations, and the extent to which the SFF’s objectives are indeed achievable. Through linking fee increases with school ratings, the KHDA had hoped to achieve one of its main goals: raising educational standards. Early evidence suggests that this approach has in fact caused a widening of the achievement gap between ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ schools in an industry that is already highly stratified by pricing.