Opening date for new school in Dubai's Mira community pushed to 2025

The school will house more than 1,600 pupils when fully operational

DBS Mira is due to open in 2025, according to school operator Taaleem. Photo: Taaleem

Updated details have been announced for a new school in one of Dubai’s most popular gated communities on Al Qudra Road.

Dubai British School (DBS) Mira, which was originally scheduled to open next year, has announced its revised opening date as August 2025.

“Due to the date of the signing of the Mira lease agreement and our commitment to ensuring all our DBS schools are delivered to the highest quality, we made the decision to move the opening of DBS Mira to 2025," said Sam Truman, chief operating officer.

"We believe our students and families will benefit from the additional time made available to ensure DBS Mira is a truly world-class facility and we continue to progress with our plan to open DBS Jumeirah in 2024."

DBS Mira is expected to cater to more than 1,600 pupils aged three to 11, from Early Years Foundation Stage 1 to Year 7.

Even with the delay, enrolment is already under way for places at the British curriculum school.

“DBS Mira extends our premium schools’ portfolio in the UAE and offers new communities the opportunity to access values-based, world-class education at an affordable price point,” said Alan Williamson, chief executive of school operator Taaleem.

“Our decision to introduce DBS Mira, which will accommodate over 1,600 students at full utilisation, further emphasises our dedication to our growth strategy.

“In addition, we remain committed and on track to complete a further two greenfield projects.”

Growing need for more schools

News of the new project in the suburbs of Dubai will be welcomed by parents, with many schools reporting long waiting lists for enrolment.

The National reported last month how pupil numbers were swelling due to a decline in the number of families leaving the emirate.

This created a need for new schools to be built in Dubai to cope with the extra numbers of pupils.

Five years ago, as many as 10 per cent of pupils were leaving schools in the emirate, but that figure is now down to around 1.5 per cent.

Another new Taaleem school is due to open in September in 2024, DBS Jumeira in Al Wasl, with room for more than 1,600 pupils.

“We’re seeing overwhelming demand for enrolment across our premium schools’ network, most notably our Dubai British School campuses in Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Park,” said Mr Truman.

“We’re incredibly proud to have built such an attractive offering in the Dubai British Schools brand and a reputation for delivering great outcomes for students, their families and our wider communities, which will continue with DBS Jumeirah and now with DBS Mira.”

It was announced this year that some schools in the emirate would be allowed to increase their annual fees for the new school year.

Private schools could increase charges by as much as 6 per cent if they met certain criteria in their inspection ratings.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority said running costs and the economic situation in the emirate were factors in allowing fees to be increased.

Taaleem confirmed its fees would increase ahead of the 2023/24 school year by an average of 2.8 per cent across its premium schools portfolio.

Private school tuition fees had previously been frozen for three years.