Dubai parents express concern over rising activity fees in schools

Some parents have said the amount they pay does not match the quality of experience they expected.

Parents in Dubai feel they are being ripped off as they continue to pay "an unreasonable amount of fee" to schools for their child's extra-curricular activities and field trips.
Some parents have said the amount they pay does not match the quality of experience they expected.
A few schools in Dubai made it mandatory for parents to pay a specific amount of fees at the start of the school year for school programmes, including field trips. Some schools ask for fees each field trip or after a school programme has been announced.
Mother of four children, Afshan Lodhi, is requesting education authorities to start monitoring how much schools are charging parents. "Being a mother of four kids, I have been into schooling for 22 years. From 2001 to 2006, the nominal activity fee would be from Dh200 to Dh500. And for every field trip depending on the place, they would charge Dh50 to Dh80 per person. But in the recent years, maybe after 2010, the school activity fees have been skyrocketing," Lodhi told Khaleej Times.
"Now I pay between Dh1,000 and Dh1,500 per year in school activities fee, excluding the field trips expenses. The outdoor activity and field trips are now Dh150 to Dh200, including food - that would be a juice, a croissant or chicken sandwich, a cookie or brownie and a water bottle. Plus, we have to go to school to pick up the kids after the field trip as the bus does not drop the kids home."
Lodhi added that the activity fees are hiked each year without informing the parents. "We do not see any innovations in the activities which we are being charged for. I would request the Ministry of Education (MoE) or Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to have a look into this matter as the activities aren't worth the price," she said.
Another parent, Sonia Imran, has to pay an annual fee of Dh2,400 for her child, which includes books, field trips, extra-curricular activities and medical.
She said authorities need to investigate schools and provide details to parents on where exactly their money is being spent.
"Last year, the kids were taken only to the park in this amount. Charges are obviously high, though schools have their own reasons," Imran said.
"At my daughter's previous school there was no annual fee but they created a hype throughout the year by asking us to provide different things in the name of class activities. So, this time at least we are relaxed that we don't have to go to the mall every second week to buy stationery and other stuff for the school.
"Parents can't do anything about it whether it comes to the issue of fee hike or other expenses like uniform, field trips and other activities - only the government can stop them by fixing this amount and by bounding them to give details of how much has been spent overall."
A parent of two children, Sarah Riyaz, said schools need to be more transparent on where their activity fees exactly go.
"We don't know what they could possibly be spending it on. I don't think a juice box or a simple chicken sandwich would cost Dh50. And entry ticket to parks or other places isn't very expensive either. So, where are they spending the money?" she said.
Field trips vital for us, say students
Extra-curricular activities and field trips play an important role in developing social skills, students have said.
Some pupils believe that learning beyond a classroom is vital for them as it gives them a newer perspective and helps them in socialising - both factors which they feel are essential once they enter the job market.
Arun Sinnamari, a student in Fujairah, said: "Extracurricular activities may seem simple to us but may have a great influence on the child's activities. It assists them in developing leadership qualities and trains them how to work in a group.
A student in Dubai, Ayesha Suhail, said that joining after-school programmes has helped her discover her passion for robotics and has helped her make new friends.
"We have many programmes at our school and one of them is robotics. I was hesitant at first but now I want to study this further when I go to my chosen university," she said. "I hope schools can reduce the prices for activities as it can help students learn more about themselves. There are also so many field trips we can take if they make it more affordable for our parents."
Another student in Dubai, Mohammed Bilal, said: "Learning shouldn't be limited to just classrooms. We can be learning in the outdoors, in museums and even in parks. The annual tuition fees that we pay the school should include all of these activities."
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com