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School fees in the GCC are the second highest in the world Image Credit: GN Archives

Dubai: Parents in Dubai continue to spend a lot of money on children’s school fees, but the good news is that rates at various educational providers have dropped recently.

According to the latest data provided by Edarabia, some schools in the emirate have reduced their fees this school year by approximately 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The highest amount parents spend on school fees a year is more than Dh65,000, but those who want to stretch their budgets further can find cheaper options in places like Deira, Al Qusais or Karama.

Education in the UAE is considered one of the most expensive in the world. According to an earlier study released by HSBC, parents can expect to fork out $99,378 (Dh365,025) in their lifetime to cover the cost of their child’s education from primary to university. That’s  the second-highest in the world.

In its Dubai School Fees vs. Rent for Q1 2018 report, Edarabia noted that Nad Al Sheba, Jumeirah Village Circle and Al Sufouh are the top three locations where school fees are the steepest, with annual fees averaging at Dh65,152.

At the bottom of the scale, schools located in Deira, Al Qusais/Muhaisnah and Karama offer the most budget-friendly rates.

3 Locations with cheapest school fees 

1. Deira

Number of private schools: 17
Average school tuition per year: Dh12,761

2. Al Qusais/Muhaisnah

Number of schools: 33
Average school tuition per year: Dh15,533

3.Karama


Number of schools: 12
Average school tuition per year: Dh16,275

Deira is home to 17 private schools, offering annual fees of Dh12,761, while Al Qusais/Muhaisnah  has 33, with average annual fees of Dh15,533. In Karama, parents can choose from 12 schools that cost Dh16,275 per year.

There are 185 private schools in Dubai with a total of 273,599 students. Out of these, 32,103 are Emirati students and 15,099 students with special education needs and disabilities.

Full list of locations, average school fees per year

Deira: 12,761
Al Qusais/Muhaisnah: 15,533
Al Karama: 16,275
Discovery Gardens/Jebel Ali: 29,008
Mirdif/ Al Rashidiya: 30,600
Al Quoz: 33,390
Bur Dubai: 34,279
Jumeirah: 41,074
Motor City: 41,472
Dubai Investment Park/ Green Community: 44,113
Dubai Silicon Oasis/ Academic City: 47,827
Springs/Meadows/Greens: 51,254
Al Barsha: 51,477
Umm Suqeim: 55,175
Dubai Sports City: 55,387
Arabian Ranches: 58,409
Al Sufouh: 59,457
Jumeirah Village Circle: 63,825
Nad Al Sheba:  65,152