Private schools in Saudi Arabia to hike fees

The International Indian School in Dammam has imposed an increased fee of SR15 at all of the levels.

Most of the international schools in Saudi Arabia have put forth a decision to hike their fees due to the increase in Ajeer levy.
This particular levy has been charged as part of the Ajeer programme, which intends to regulate as well as document the work being put in by foreign employees in the country, who happen to be working for the people, organisation, and entities who are not their sponsors.
The levy will be imposed from April 1, 2018, the announcement for which was made back in 2015.
According to the Saudi Gazette, all of the private as well as the community schools in the Kingdom will have to pay the levy amounting to SR9,500 (Dh9,302) a year, for all those employees (including teachers) who are not sponsored by them.
Most of the academic staff in these international schools comprise of the wives as well daughters (dependants) of the expat workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The International Indian School in Dammam has imposed an increased fee of SR15 at all of the levels, and has also raised the establishment levy from the previous amount of SR1,000 to SR1,500. The amount is payable at the time of school admission. The concession that was available to the second child of a parent has also been scraped off.
The school as confirmed by its Principal Dr Mohammad Shaffe to the Saudi Gazette, has also made an announcement about half of the SR9,500 to be paid by teachers and the other half by the school.
The school had previously been providing free education to children of teachers as well as a discount in the transportation fees, both of which have been withdrawn by the school.
The International Indian School in Jeddah has not announced the mark up as yet, but the one in Riyadh has made the announcement.
Following suit, the other international schools including the ones from Bangladesh, Philipines, Pakistan are all on their way to make an increase in their fee structures.

• Saudi Arabia