Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, issued a directive that there would be no increase in private school fees in the emirate in 2026-2027.
The move came a day after Dubai approved a Dh1.5 billion ($400 million) economic incentive package to support the city’s business and tourism sectors at a time when demand has fallen owing to the Iran war.
“Dubai’s private school sector continues to demonstrate flexibility and resilience in adapting to evolving developments, ensuring continuity of learning through a flexible and sustainable regulatory framework that strengthens the sector’s stability and competitiveness,” said Shamma Al Mansouri, director of licensing and educational services at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, which oversees private education in Dubai.
“This further reinforces Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for quality education, in line with the goals of Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy.”
Dubai remains committed to ensuring the stability and sustainable growth of the private education sector, while balancing the interests of all stakeholders and supporting families, Ms Al Mansouri added.
About 9,000 places at affordable schools were introduced during the current academic year, she said. The sector is also preparing to add about 7,500 more places at affordable schools over the next two academic years through incentive packages for education providers, she added.
More than 95 per cent of private school pupils currently have in-person learning, despite the disruption caused by Iran’s attacks on the UAE. The government mandated that schools shift to remote learning at the beginning of March, after the start of the Iran war.
Schools and nurseries across the Emirates began reopening their doors on April 20, with strict safety rules in place. However, another Iranian attack at the beginning of the month led to a further spell of remote learning, before in-class lessons resumed on May 11.