Dubai aims to reduce tuition fees while maintaining high-quality education

Dubai is taking steps to make private education more affordable as public concern rises over high tuition costs.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has introduced a strategy aimed at lowering fees while maintaining high-quality schooling across the emirate.

The plan was announced by Aisha Abdulla Miran, Director General of KHDA, at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum 2025 held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Addressing government officials and education stakeholders, Miran noted the widespread concern among families about soaring school costs.

“Education is not mentioned without mentioning the high cost of schools,” she said, recalling messages from parents, including one who reported spending Dh1 million on their children’s education in Dubai.

KHDA’s new approach focuses on restructuring the economics of school development and operations.

At its core is a proposed policy for presentation to the Dubai Executive Council, designed to attract investors driven by social impact rather than profits.

“We are working on a policy that will be presented to the Executive Council, the essence of which is to create incentives for a certain type of investor whose main goal is not profitability but other social objectives,” Miran explained.

Government-backed incentives are a key component of the plan and include subsidized land rents, reduced land prices, operational cost reductions through improved urban planning, and support for teacher housing and staff welfare.

These measures aim to attract school operators willing to provide high-quality education without charging premium fees.

KHDA’s strategy also addresses the broader education ecosystem, tackling cost drivers such as land, infrastructure, and teacher retention. Miran highlighted the role of urban planning in lowering operational costs:

“Linking urban planning with land distribution and with it the requirements in terms of school components, as well as investment costs in the sector and operational costs and educational staff by providing housing at reasonable prices, this is an aspect we are working on.”

The authority will also review private school cost structures to identify areas for operational efficiencies while exploring subsidized teacher housing to retain high-caliber staff without inflating tuition fees.

“We aim through these initiatives to continue to reduce the cost of education and maintain high quality at the same time, to make Dubai a destination in the education sector on both regional and global levels,” said Miran.

The affordability plan is part of Dubai’s broader Education 33 Strategy, which aims to open at least 100 new private schools by 2033. The emirate currently has 227 private schools with 387,441 students from 185 nationalities. Enrollment grew 12% in 2023–2024, with a projected 6% increase next year.

Miran emphasized that Dubai seeks to become a global education hub, attracting international students and top-tier programs. “We work with some entities in terms of providing housing at reasonable prices and health insurance because it affects competitiveness in attracting international students,” she said. “Our ambition is to attract 50 percent of international students in the region.”

Private school fees in Dubai remain among the highest in the region for high school students.

KHDA approved a tuition increase of up to 2.35% for the 2025–2026 academic year, applying only to schools operating for more than three years, after a detailed review based on staff wages, support services, and rental expenses.