UAE's educational institutions offer financial relief to COVID-19 distressed parents

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

A number of educational institutions across the UAE have announced financial packages and fee reduction to support the community in overcoming challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Taaleem, one of the largest education providers in the UAE, offers discounts on fees for the third term in its schools. Following extensive consultations with its school community, Taaleem launched a support package that includes key measures to ease the financial pressures on families.

Alan Williamson, CEO of Taaleem, announced that Term 3 fees will be discounted across the entire Taaleem portfolio of schools in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This includes 25% discounts on Foundation and Kindergarten fees, 20% discount for Primary/Elementary School fees and 20% on Secondary School fees.

Taaleem is also facilitating Individual Parent Payment Plans, Re-enrolment Packages and Reduced Schools Fees for the next academic year, as previously announced. It will also waive application fees and payment plans for deposits for the next academic year.

Taaleem has also pledged to retain their outstanding teachers and provide unequivocal support for their staff until normal operations are resumed.

Innoventures Education, which manages leading schools in Dubai, including Dubai International Academy, Collegiate American School, Raffles International School and Raffles World Academy, has announced a number of measures across its schools to help parents cope with the financial impact of the global shutdown.

Innoventures Education is offering personalised payment plans and deferment of fees for families who have lost jobs, had salary cuts, been placed on unpaid leave, including self-employed professionals or business owners who may be struggling to pay fees as a direct result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This is in addition to interest-free instalment plans for all school fee payments made by credit card. Furthermore, Innoventures Education has announced that all bus transport and cafeteria providers will offer a roll-over of credit to the next academic year or offer refunds for payments made from April to June 2020.

Al Najah Education has announced a 20% reduction in school fees at its popular Jumeirah based schools, Horizon English School and Horizon International School. The group offers a relief plan to parents, which will apply to all Year groups for term three of the 2019-2020 academic year

Canadian University Dubai (CUD), one of the top ten universities in the UAE, has announced a 30 per cent reduction in fees for both new and returning students, to help distressed parents during the COVID-19 crisis

"In the light of the current challenging situation where parents might be losing jobs or getting salary cuts, we are pleased to offer a 30% reduction in fess for both new and returning students across all our Undergraduate and Graduate programmes,” said Buti Saeed Al Ghandi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chancellor, Canadian University Dubai.

The Repton Family of Schools in the UAE - comprising Repton Dubai, Foremarke School Dubai and Repton Abu Dhabi - announced an immediate Dhs8 million Repton Family Support Fund (RFSF), providing financial support to its families suffering financial hardship as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, parents will receive a 15% fee reduction from Term 3’s fees applied to the 2020-2021 academic year.

The RFSF may be accessed by all families of the Repton Family of Schools, and will be allocated on a needs basis, subject to submitting supporting evidence of job loss, significant salary reduction, unpaid leave for employees, or revenue loss for business owners. Parents will receive regular updates on the percentage of the fund that has been allocated.

Nitin Kripalani, CEO of EKI, which operates the Repton Family of Schools in the UAE, said, "We are aware that many families are facing significant challenges, and we will do everything that we can to support them during this unprecedented time. The RFSF and the 15% discount for Term 3 applied to next year is a reassurance of our commitment to our community - not just in the short term, but also throughout the next academic year and beyond.”