JEDDAH: Private schools in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to increase fees between academic years. The Ministry of Education said that it is mandatory to fix the tuition fee a year in advance. These provisions are included in the tuition fee regulations for private schools approved by the Minister of Education Youssef Al Benyan.
As per the rules, private schools have to register details like the amount of tuition fee, the effective date of the new fee and any changes in the fee through the Ministry’s private education portal. Schools have to set the tuition fee and register on the portal one year before the start of the academic year. No amendment of fee shall be allowed after that period.
The Ministry of Education will publish the list of tuition fees for schools on its website. In case of any dispute regarding the amount of tuition fees, the same shall be the reference. Punitive action will be taken against schools that fail to comply with these regulations as per the provisions contained in the regulations governing tuition fees in private schools issued under the Cabinet decision earlier.
The mandate of the newly constituted committee includes the level of compliance of private schools with regard to registration of tuition fees and the changes made thereto. Private schools will be reviewed for compliance with the law regarding notifying parents of changes in tuition fees at least one year before the start of the academic year. The Committee shall review these regulations every two years and make necessary changes in the public interest.
The committee will submit an annual report to the Minister that includes the size of the annual change in tuition fees, the justification for the changes in tuition fees, the committee’s recommendations and remedies for potential problems.
