Dubai schools up the learning curve
SENIOR KHDA OFFICIAL EXPLAINS WHAT THIS GROWTH MEANS FOR STAKEHOLDERS
What is making the emirate a magnet for quality institutions and what it means for stakeholders
T he UAE’s education sector is expanding fast, led by the private school sector. In Dubai alone, a record 15 new private schools opened in the current 2016-17 academic year — more than twice the seven schools that opened in the last academic year.
Dubai has the world’s greatest concentration of English-medium international private schools in any city, with around 280 such schools based here.
A new report says Dubai will need 74,500 additional seats in 50 new private schools by 2020. Is the projection achievable? If current trends are any indication, it does appear possible. For example, the new schools that opened this academic year are already about 90 per cent full.
At least 400 parties had shown interest in opening up a school in Dubai for this school year.
In an exclusive, Kalthoom Al Beloushi, Executive Director of Education Development at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), told
Gulf News why schools are flocking here; how Dubai’s education regulator is playing a proactive role in facilitating new schools; future expectations; and what the power of choice in schooling means for stakeholders.
Al Beloushi is confident the lead up to Expo 2020 will attract more families — and hence schoolchildren — to Dubai.
“We know, based on our studies and research, that the new capacity added to the market will be utilised by the newcomers, be they [UAE] residents or people coming here. People will be working for the Expo and other developments happening in the market,” she said.
We know, based on our studies and research, that the new capacity added to the market will be utilised by the newcomers, be they residents or people coming here.” Kalthoom Al Beloushi | Executive Director of Education Development at KHDA