Up to Dh4,000 per child: Dubai parents concerned over early school re-enrolment notice – News

Schools in Dubai have started sending notifications to parents about re-registration for the next academic year, with some schools charging up to Dh4,000 as re-registration fees per child.

This especially applies to schools rated ‘Very Good’ to ‘Outstanding’, which vary depending on the student’s rating.

Schools say early re-enrollment reminders allow them to adapt and be equitable to the growing number of families on their waiting lists. However, parents express uncertainty about their family’s circumstances in September, which would make it difficult for them to commit to early re-enrollment.

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Refund in case of families leaving the UAE

According to the emirate’s education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), schools can ask parents to pay a non-refundable re-enrolment deposit to secure a place for their children for the following academic year.

However, this deposit cannot exceed five percent of the total tuition fee or Dh500 (whichever is greater) and is deductible from the total tuition fee for the academic year.

The KHDA stated: “For new and existing students, the re-registration deposit will not be refunded unless there are extenuating circumstances. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, evidence of relocation of the family/student to another country/emirate or any other unforeseen circumstances.”

Rationale for early registrations

Khaleej Times contacted some schools and parents to explore the reasons behind these early enrollments and the concerns raised by families.

Victoria Lumbi. — Photo supplied

Victoria Lumby, senior vice president of sales and enrollment at GEMS Education, said: “Places in all of our schools are in higher demand than ever, reflecting the confidence our community places in the quality of education we provide. “Early confirmation of the intention to re-enroll and re-enroll your child in school not only gives parents peace of mind, but also helps schools with classroom allocation, planning and preparations for the coming year.”

Principals therefore emphasized that schools are prioritizing places for their existing students and most are asking families to confirm their intention to re-enroll for the 2024-25 academic year. “This also allows us to serve and be fair to the growing number of families on our waiting lists. The re-registration process is simple and only takes a few minutes.”

However, the schools say they recognize that circumstances may change and, under existing procedures, if a family chooses to leave the UAE at a later time, any deposit made to the school will be refunded upon presentation of supporting documents. necessary.

“Naturally, we understand that plans can change and, in accordance with regulatory guidelines and our own GEMS policy, if a family decides to leave the UAE, any deposit paid to a school will be refunded in full upon presentation of supporting documentation. “Our school teams are available to answer any questions parents may have,” Lumby added.

Strong re-enrollment projections

Meanwhile, some institutions are claiming up to 90 percent re-enrollments for the next school year, as most families expressed interest in continuing with their children’s current school.

Gillian Hammond. — Photo supplied

Gillian Hammond, Principal of Repton School Dubai and Head of Education at Excella, said: “Re-enrolment at our school is an annual process which we begin at the beginning of the first term. Parents who wish to re-enroll their children in the following academic years can do so, since the deadline to re-enroll will end on April 15.

“We are honored by the trust our parents placed in us. We have retained close to 90 percent of re-enrollments, which is a testament to our excellent student learning outcomes. “We anticipate maintaining our strong record of re-enrollments.”

The directors emphasized that they understand that relocation can be a challenging transition for the entire family. “If a family needs to relocate, we support them by offering a fee refund. “Our parents are informed of refund policies at the beginning of the academic year to ensure they have all the support they need during the relocation.”

Challenges to early engagement

Meanwhile, parents express difficulty in committing to re-enrolling their children so far in advance, especially considering the possibility of relocation.

Romanian expat Alina Ardelean said: “Rents in Springs are quite high, forcing us to contemplate a move towards a sustainable city. I have also been thinking about changing my children’s school, since the one they currently attend is close to our current residence. However, if we move in September, when our lease expires in August, I will have to seriously consider changing schools to minimize my children’s travel time.”

He added: “Since we are currently undecided, starting re-enrollment at your current school now would involve a significant expense of approximately Dh8,000 to Dh10,000 for two children. “This ties up funds that could be allocated elsewhere.”

Bhavya Rao. — Photo supplied

Echoing similar concerns, Bhavya Rao, whose two children go to a top-ranked British school, said: “Although we have some potential neighborhoods in mind, our relocation plans are not finalized yet. Re-enrolling a child in school involves a significant financial commitment. If we pay the re-registration fee now to secure my children’s place, I am worried about what would happen if we moved later to another location in Dubai. Would I lose the entire amount?

He added: “Even if a family is not changing, I would argue that schools use early re-enrollment deadlines to pressure parents to commit before they have had a chance to fully evaluate their options. Additionally, recovering this money from the school later can involve considerable effort.”

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