Sharjah Schools Not to Burden Students with High Cost Books
Principals of private schools in Sharjah said that the prices of textbooks for the next academic year saw an increase of between 24 and 50%, compared to their prices in the previous academic year.
They attributed the increase to the high printing prices and customs fees for books coming from abroad, stressing that students will not be affected by the price difference due to the inability of schools to raise the prices of books on their own, as this requires obtaining a decision of approval from the responsible authorities.
Chairman of Victoria International School Amin El Nezami says that the prices of books from abroad for the next academic year witnessed an increase of 24% compared to their prices in the last academic year, due to shipping and customs clearance fees. He stressed not to raise the prices of books as it requires obtaining a decision of approval from the Ministry of Education or the Sharjah Private Education Authority.
El Nezami added that school books represent an important component of the educational process, and students may not resort to other means to compensate for them, pointing to the school’s keenness to support students and enable them to obtain advanced education, characterized by full quality, even if it does not achieve the desired return.
Principal of Al-Shola Private School Ibrahim Baraka stated that the price of textbooks has increased from 30 to 50%, due to printing costs. “I finally signed the bill for school books for the new year, which amounted to eight million dirhams. This is a large sum compared to the amount allocated to purchase it last year,” says Baraka adding that “the increase in the price of books will fall on schools alone, and students will not be affected by it.”
Fatima Abu Muiss, Principal of Al Kamal American International School explains that while the Ministry has not approved for an increase in the prices of books, there is an actual increase in school books coming from abroad, as well as books in the ministerial curriculum. “We do not have the right to burden students with the price hike on books, as the increase is conditional to the approval of the Sharjah Private Education Authority. As this did not happen, schools will have to bear the price difference,” says Muiss.
