Dh250 waiver in Delhi Private School transport fee

Dubai — The annual transport fee of Dh2,500, of Delhi Private School (DPS) Dubai and Sharjah, has been reduced by Dh250 and a Dh500 concession has been granted for parents with three children studying in the school, after parents raised an uproar.

The school had hiked its transport fees by over 175 per cent at the start of the academic year 2015-16 in April. The bus fee hike had caused an uproar among DPS parents who stated that they were not informed of the change beforehand. They also stated that the hike was unfair and unaffordable for most parents whose children attend the school.

After several written petitions and signature campaigns on change.org, the school management decided to negotiate with the transport provider to grant some measures of relief for parents, with immediate effect. Khaleej Times had reported on April 7 that the school transport services has been outsourced to a company called Al Saraya Buses Rental LLC, which is the reason for the fee hike.

The yearly school bus fee of Dh1,100 for students in the Jebel Ali area for the 2014-15 academic year was hiked to Dh2,500.

Parents of students living in Bur Dubai and Karama who have been paying Dh1,905 per annum said they will now have to shell out Dh4,300 and students living in Sharjah will have to cough up Dh5,200. The school is located near Ibn Battuta Mall.

Dinesh Kothari, Pro-vice-chairman and managing director of the three DPS campuses in the UAE said the third child travelling in the school bus would be given an annual concession of Dh500 and the sum will be adjusted in the two installments, that is, in the second and third terms. In the second term, a further one-time concession of Dh250 will be given to parents, per child, whose children are availing school transport. The concession of Dh250 is given in the case of the first and second child only.

“We impressed on the transport company to reduce the fee for this academic year and losses incurred will be covered by the school management,” said Kothari. He added: “We have had a long-standing relationship with our parents and we don’t want to loose their trust and partnership as stakeholders.”

Kothari said that as part of the transfer of ownership, the bus drivers and conductors and bus infrastructure would not change. “The company has maintained the older drivers because they are familiar with the routes and the children. The nannies will be hired and taken care of by the school management because the safety and security of the child is our primary responsibility,” added Kothari.

Parents react

Parents however are not entirely happy with the reduction of the fees. “We’ve been running from pillar to post in the last month for some respite to the hike,” said Mukund Pranatharthi.

“We’ve gone to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the Dubai Economic Development (DED) with our vows. It’s not much and it also not what we discussed with the school management for. We, however, are glad that something came out of the efforts that the parents have put in.”

Another parent said: “Before this there was no relief whatsoever in sight. However with the joint efforts of all the parents, this is a victory of sorts.”

• Education