UAE educational boom: 50 new schools to accommodate 150,000 students by 2027

UAE educational boom: 50 new schools to accommodate 150,000 students by 2027

Demand for high-quality education institutes will fuel the rise of international schools in the Emirates and GCC region

Published: Wed 2 Aug 2023, 4:14 PM

Around 150,000 students will enrol in UAE schools by 2027 as the country's population increases and more international schools set up campuses in the Emirates, said Alpen Capital, a Dubai-based financial advisory firm.

Krishna Dhanak, managing director at Alpen Capital, said demand for schools in the UAE is likely to grow from an estimated 1,258 schools in 2022 to 1,308 by 2027, translating to an additional 50 new schools over the five years.

In terms of recruitment and salaries of teachers in the UAE, Dhanak added that hiring and retaining high-quality staff to match the rising standards among private schools has proven to be a challenge.

“In order to attract and retain the right teaching talent, many international schools have started offering generous compensation packages and we expect this trend to only intensify going forward. Additionally, schools are also planning to offer more professional development opportunities for teachers, including promotions, while also encouraging flexibility at work,” he told Khaleej Times at the launch of the GCC Education Industry report.

The study, however, didn’t disclose how many new teachers would be required