Schools across the UAE are becoming more flexible with tuition fee payment plans as parents increasingly opt for monthly instalments instead of large upfront payments. The shift comes as institutions explore partnerships with fintech platforms such as Tabby to improve school fee collection while offering parents greater financial flexibility.
The partnership aims to integrate payment flexibility into existing infrastructure and improve fee collection. This is likely to reduce delays and provide institutions with more predictable cash flow. For parents, the goal is to shift from large upfront payments to structured plans that fit monthly budgets.
Explaining the approach, Zarik Nabi, Chief Commercial Officer at Tabby, said families are already juggling education expenses and making compromises to keep up.
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“Families across the UAE are already doing the work of managing education costs carefully, moving money around, planning ahead and making trade-offs,” said Zarik Nabi. “We’re giving schools the infrastructure to make that easier for parents, and giving parents a way to stay in control without the pressure of paying everything at once.”
Relief for families under financial strain
Abhilasha Singh, Principal at Shining Star International School, said the initiative offers strong support to families facing financial difficulties, especially those affected by job losses or salary cuts.
“Families can manage payments through options like Tabby, with monthly plans making it easier to plan,” she said. “For parents, this can be a helpful buffer.”
However, she noted that schools could face operational challenges. “Schools are self-sustaining systems. Fee inflow is reinvested into salaries, learning resources, and infrastructure upkeep. If many payments are deferred or split, it becomes hard to maintain the steady financial cycle needed for operations and development.”
She added that while supporting parents remains important, schools also require predictable financial inflows to function effectively.
Calling the initiative positive in principle, Singh also stressed the importance of parents’ long-term financial planning. “It is a good initiative, but ultimately, parents still need to plan for this obligation. Financial planning is important to avoid disruptions in a child’s education. That is why we run financial literacy programmes for parents from time to time,” she said.
Schools seek balance between flexibility and stability
Deepika Thapar Singh, CEO-Principal at Credence High School, said schools are increasingly recognising that financial accessibility should not become a barrier to education.
“We have always believed that financial accessibility should never come in the way of a child’s education, which is why we already offer flexible fee payment options,” she said.
“Parents can choose to pay monthly, per semester, or annually, depending on what works best for their family.”
She added that thoughtfully structured instalment-based systems can help reduce stress around payment deadlines for families already facing financial pressure.
“Instalment-based payment systems, when structured thoughtfully, can make a significant difference in reducing the financial anxiety that many families experience, particularly around fee deadlines and the fact that 88% of UAE parents are feeling this strain is something schools cannot afford to ignore.”
Welcoming broader industry initiatives, she said, flexibility must be supported by transparency and trust between schools and families.
“At the end of the day, our role as educators goes beyond the classroom; it extends to ensuring that the overall school experience, including financial planning, is supportive, dignified, and stress-free for every parent who has chosen to partner with us in their child’s journey.”
Source: Khaleej Times