Education in Dubai to get dearer as 117 private schools will increase fees this year after approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

This fee increase is applicable for the next academic year, which will start in April 2016 for Indian schools in Dubai and August 30 for other private schools in the emirate.

According to the fee framework, schools rated ‘outstanding’ (the highest rating) in the KHDA’s latest inspections (2014-15 inspections) can increase their fees by 5.84 per cent. Similarly, schools rated ‘good’ can increase their fees by 4.38 per cent while schools rated acceptable or unacceptable can increase their fees only by 2.92 per cent.

This is an increase from last year when fees were fixed at 3.48 per cent for ‘outstanding’, 2.61 per cent for ‘good’ and 1.74 per cent for acceptable and unacceptable schools.

According to a 2014-15 KHDA report, 61 per cent of the 255,208 students who go to private schools in Dubai pay over Dh10,000 per year.

The report also said fees can reach up to Dh98,649 per child in some private schools here.

Parents, meanwhile, say the increase every year is a burden.