Hi guys, just an article in the local papers to ponder about costs in the UAE. Just sky rocketing! 
Parents left 'with no option' over fee hike
By Sunita Menon and Siham Al Najami, Staff Reporters
Dubai: Parents say that they are left with no option but to look for schools that have an affordable fee structure.
Five private schools run by the Global Management Systems (Gems) - The Westminster School, The Winchester School, Cambridge International School, Dubai American School and the Modern School - will be bringing in a fee hike of 55 to 70 per cent from next year.
It will be done in two phases once in January 2007 and the next in September 2007.
Gulf News learnt on Tuesday that a verbal approval to go ahead with the fee revision was granted by the Ministry of Education.
"This type of system and monopoly does not work and should not be allowed by the Ministry of Education. It is unbelievable that schools are given the green light to hike their fees every year," said a parent.
Interestingly, the news of Gems receiving the approval has yet to filter down to the corridors of the Ministry of Education and the Dubai Education Zone and only a selected few top officials are aware of it, Gulf News heard .
Teachers at the schools concerned also complained that the fee hike had nothing to do with them receiving a salary increment.
Teachers who spoke to Gulf News said that their average basic salary stands at Dh2,000 and the annual hike they receive is between Dh70 to Dh90.