A GCC Education Industry Report published in 2018 warned that by 2022, the United Arab Emirates would need an extra 150 schools to serve a school-going population of 1.5 million. Published by Alpen Capital, the report covered pre-primary, primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary education across all Gulf Cooperation Council segments.
The study by the Dubai-based research firm suggested that student enrolment would grow at 3.4% between 2018 and 2022, mushrooming from 1.3 million to 1.5 million. Conducted over a two-year period, Alpen Capital’s study indicated that the United Arab Emirates continued to lead the Middle East in terms of quality of education, bolstered by government efforts to develop a diversified knowledge-based economy.
The United Arab Emirates government continued to prioritise education in its 2018 budget allocation, which reached Dh10.4, equating to more than 20% of government expenditure for that year – ranking the United Arab Emirates higher than developed nations like Germany and the UK in terms of its investment in education.
In the Gulf News Report, Sameena Ahmad, Managing Director, Alpen Capital (ME) Limited, explained that the GCC education sector continued to grow due to a rising population, coupled with a preference for private education that continues to grow. As Ms Ahmad pointed out, regional governments have continued to allocate large portions of their budgets to education, despite a slowdown in economic growth.
Published biannually, the GCC Education Industry Report suggested that the United Arab Emirates is among the GCC’s leading providers of education services, the country’s private education sector having evolved with an influx of international institutions to meet increased demand for various curricula.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented considerable challenges for educators all over the world. In-person learning was suspended across the United Arab Emirates in March 2020 as part of nationwide efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Spokesperson for the United Arab Emirates education sector Hazza Al Mansouri explained that there had been a sharp drop in the number of daily cases seen in the country, indicating that it was safe for students to return to the classroom in January 2022, when United Arab Emirates schools would start operating at full capacity once more. To ensure the safety of students and staff, health authorities recommended booster shots for all students, teachers and support staff. In addition, social distancing remained in place, along with mandatory mask requirements for all students.
School buses were also able to operate at 100% capacity once more, provided that there was proper ventilation and all students on board wore masks. Mr Al Mansouri indicated that all educational facilities at state level would be monitored to ensure the application of preventative and precautionary measures in co-operation with the Ministry of Education.
According to the K-12 Education Show website, the rise in school-goers throughout the United Arab Emirates is due to a variety of different factors, driven in particular by an increase in popularity of private education combined with an influx of expatriates.
Seeds Education prides itself on providing comprehensive, in-depth educational research services, working closely with educators, institutions and ministries of education to assess specific requirements, conduct strategic planning and meet needs throughout the field of education. Founded in 1968, the organisation operates with the ethos that a quality education is informed and underpinned by strong values, combined with a commitment to help each and every student attain the success they are capable of.
Providing award-winning academic and educational materials, bespoke print and digital publishing services, and client-customised teacher training and career development programmes, Seeds Education customises its products and services to the individual needs of each client, supporting teachers as the facilitators of lifelong learning.
Under the stewardship of Karim Khayat, who has served as the company’s CEO for more than two decades, Seeds Education has expanded and restructured its operational services. Along with its subsidiaries Geo Projects, Seeds Schools, International Press, All Prints, Garnet Publishing and Garnet Education, Seeds Education has grown to become a market leader, providing publishing services and educational products to schools and universities throughout the Arab World.
In his role as CEO, Karim Tahseen Al-Khayat effectively manages a workforce of more than 600 employees spread across eight separate locations and four different countries. During his tenure, Karim Tahseen Al-Khayyat has developed intensive and ambitious business objectives, strategies and short and long-term goals for Seeds Education and all of its subsidiaries.
