Some schools to increase their fee this academic year in Qatar

55 private schools and kindergartens have been given permission by The Ministry of Education and Higher Education to increase their fees by 2-7% during the 2016-2017 academic year.

The Peninsula reports that according Hamad bin Mohamed Al Ghali, the director of the Private School Office (PSO), around 162 schools and KGs have asked for permission to raise their fees.

However, 66% of the requests have been rejected due to failure to fulfill the necessary standards and requirements.

Only two schools have been allowed to raise their fees by the highest seven percent, he added.

Al Ghali said that 15 new schools and KGs will open during the next academic year and will together create 10,380 additional seats at different levels including elementary, preparatory and secondary.

The Private Schools Office received more than 68 applications for opening new schools during the next academic year.

Of these, five schools and KGs will start classes in September and the remaining will open later during the 2016-2017 academic year.

The five schools include two Swiss schools, opening for the first time in Qatar, (one for girls and the other for boys) and two international schools falling in the category of Outstanding Schools.

The other schools include those offering British, German and Turkish curricula meeting international standards, said Al Ghali.

The new schools will create 5,047 additional seats in British curriculum, 1,682 in IB, 2,242 in American, 925 in Swiss, 216 in Turkish, 153 in German and 115 in Egyptian.

Al Ghali said permission to increase the fees has been given based on a scientific assessment that considered the financial and academic performance of the schools concerned.

 The financial performance standards include tuition fees, additional fees, profit margin based on a comparison of the operational costs and total income and assets and how many times the school had increased the fees in recent years.

Academic standards include the school’s educational performance, the satisfaction level of the students, parents and teachers, safety and security, participation of teachers in professional development programs and qualification of the teachers.

The committee studying fee hike requests will also examine whether the school has acquired a national or international accreditation or at least nominated for it or their application was rejected.

The PSO has set up a special portal for private schools, with necessary information for parents and students to choose a suitable school, including their location, curriculum, academic calendar, annual performance report, and general information. It can be accessed at www.edu.gov.qa