The education sector in Dubai is now at a tipping point, with aggressive marketing and tuition fee discounts symptomatic of an oversupply of schools. Pressure is expected to increase with a further 13 schools slated to open next academic year, bringing the total number of private schools in Dubai to 207.
The quality of education in Dubai has significantly improved, now featuring many internationally recognised operators, offering 16 different curricula, catering to the requirements of an increasingly multinational population. With this drastic increase in choice, the market is now tipped in favour of consumers who are demanding quality education at lower price points.
Knight Frank reviews the parameters of an affordable school and how affordability is relative to distance and time. For this analysis, Knight Frank interviewed key education service providers (covered 30% of schools in Dubai) which enabled in framing parameters of ‘affordable schooling’ and redefining traditional concepts of catchment areas in Dubai.
Key findings:
Participants were unanimous in their belief that providing affordable education is challenging, but confirmed it should be accessible to communities and relative to an individual’s income.
Tuition fees:
- Year 1: 80% mentioned tuition fees should be less than AED 33k, and 56% indicated that tuition fee should be in the range of AED 18k to 28k
- Year 7: 77% mentioned tuition fees should be less than AED 41k, and 44% indicated that tuition fee should be in the range of AED 33k to 46k
- Year 13: 70% of participants believed tuition fees should be equal or less than AED 60k
Distance/time & Catchment:
The participants were requested to place the students in three brackets: 0 to 5km, 5 to 10km, 10km ++
- 70% of participants agreed that they have witnessed a decline in their schools’ catchment diameter due to greater choice available.
- On average 53% of a school’s students resided within a 5km radius
Average tuition fee heat map
Student enrolment density
For more information on Dubai education affordability see attached report PDF or contact Shehzad Jamal Shehzad.jamal@me.knightfrank.com
