Khaleej Times

Education market confident of growth

- Sandhya D’Mello AT A GLANCE — sandhya@khaleejtim­es.com

dubai — The UAE’s ever burgeoning education sector is all set to record robust growth as the nation ranks among the most developed education market in the GCC region with a wide presence of private institutio­ns.

Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the country’s largest markets accounting for approximat­ely 47 per cent of the total students in private K-12 schools, says Alpen Capital’s GCC education industry report issued on Tuesday.

The report states that as the UAE government continue to invest in developing itself into a knowledge-based economy, education remains a top priority among its sustainabl­e developmen­t goals and have taken several initiative­s to establish the sector at par with the global standards.

“The GCC education sector is continuing to grow on account of a rising population coupled with the growing preference for private education. Developmen­t of the education sector has remained a top priority for the government­s across the GCC region as the regional government­s recognise the importance of investing in skills and training to provide employment opportunit­ies and boost overall competitiv­eness,” said Sameena Ahmad, managing director, Alpen Capital at the press conference.

According to Alpen Capital, the total number of students in the GCC education sector is projected to reach 14.5 million in 2022, registerin­g a compound aggre- gate growth rate (CAGR) of 2.3 per cent from an estimated 12.9 million in 2017. A growing school age population, high per capita income, continued government spending and long-term strategic government initiative­s is expected to drive the future growth of the GCC education sector. Why is UAE’s education system perceived best in the region?

“Education in UAE has been a national priority and several significan­t steps have been taken to keep the country’s education on par with the latest improvemen­ts towards quality education,” said Aisha Ansari, Principal, The Oxford School.

“Innovation drives incessant focus on students’ capabiliti­es in terms of their cognitive ability and soft skills such as collaborat­ion skills and teamwork. Their wellbeing is the identified core to ensure all learners progress at their pace and achieve their potential. This determined emphasis on continuous improvemen­t in provision for students as well as opportunit­ies to design think and innovate is what ensures UAE provides the best opportunit­ies for learning in the region,” she said.

Ecohing similar positive sentiment, Ttina Narsian, head of sales and marketing, UKCBC, said the UAE’s education sector is one that has grown consistent­ly > The total number of students in the GCC education sector is projected to reach 14.5 million in 2022, registerin­g a compound aggregate growth rate of 2.3 per cent from an estimated 12.9 million in 2017

> Education in UAE has been a national priority

> UAE is an attractive destinatio­n for students, both local and internatio­nal as the choices of higher education are phenomenal

> UAE’s education sector is one that has grown consistent­ly over the last decade

> Innovation drives incessant focus on students’ capabiliti­es in terms of their cognitive ability and soft skills over the last decade. The country is an attractive destinatio­n for students, both local and internatio­nal as the choices of higher education are phenomenal.

“Both expats in UAE as well as internatio­nal students prefer the varied options that UAE has to provide which has seen the growth of branch campuses of reputed internatio­nal colleges and universiti­es in UAE. ”

 ?? — AFP ?? The GCC education sector is continuing to grow on account of a rising population coupled with the growing preference for private education.
— AFP The GCC education sector is continuing to grow on account of a rising population coupled with the growing preference for private education.

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