UAE Private K12 Education Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The United Arab Emirates' private education market is highly consolidated and the most mature market among all the GCC countries, but it has the potential to grow further. The private education sector of the United Arab Emirates is expected to register a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period, due to factors like the increasing expatriate population, increasing enrollments, improved quality of education, and the increasing shift from public schools to private schools. Currently, majority of the Emirati and expat students in the United Arab Emirates are enrolled in private schools and this trend is expected to grow, as there are over 16 curricula provided by private schools, displaying higher-than-average educational outcomes as compared to public schools.

Key Market Trends

Increased Rate of Population Growth, including Expatriates

One of the drivers of the growth of the UAE private K12 education market is the increasing population. Despite the overcrowding of schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, there is still an opportunity for growth in the market. The public schools in the country, over the past few years, witnessed slower growth in the number of enrollments, as compared to private schools. The highest number of enrollments is witnessed in the cycle 1 (primary) level of schooling. It is followed by the intermediate level of schooling, the KG level, and then the secondary level of education. Dubai is predominantly populated by expatriates and this number is expected to grow further, with the launch of Expo 2020 and other mega-projects. The government has also introduced ownership laws, to allow 100% ownership of companies the outside free zones, by the foreign investors, and 10-year residency visa options, a move designed to bring more foreign investments into the country and attract long-term residents. With the ease of investments, the number of private schools are likely to increase during the forecast period. Moreover, with the 10-year residency visa available to expats, the population of school going students is expected to grow, along with a reduction in attrition rate.

Quality of Education

The United Arab Emirates is among the leading providers of educational services in the GCC region. The private education sector has evolved in the country, with the influx of international institutions and a greater demand for various curricula. Furthermore, population diversity within the expatriate community has pushed the private sector to offer a diversified range of curricula. During 2017 and 2018, the United Arab Emirates ranked 12th and 16th, respectively, based on the quality of higher education and training, and primary education. The expansion and integrationof e-learning programs have enabled the country to be ranked in the 13th position, in terms of the provision of internet access in schools. To facilitate a diversified expatriate community, Dubai‘s private school network provides education across 16 curricula. Although the British curriculum is the most preferred syllabus, other major curricula, such as Indian (CBSE and ICSE), American, International Baccalaureate (IB), French, and German, have also gained significant traction across the market.

In order to provide the best quality of education, the tuition fees charged by private schools are in the high and premium range, as compared to the public schools. Despite this, the demand for private schooling is increasing.

Competitive Landscape

The United Arab Emirates' private K12 education market is consolidated by a few private school brands, like GEMS Education, Athena Education, Taleem, Esol Education, Kings’ Schools Group, SABIS Education Services, and British International School. The market in Dubai is the most consolidated one across the GCC region, with over 25% of the institutions being owned by GEMS Education. There are numerous private schools that cater to the rising population of expatriates and Emirati students, yet there is still a good opportunity to invest in the country. To meet the needs of the Emirati students, there is a need for high-quality schools, with a rating of “good” or better, which specifically cater to the local preferences (for example: by offering gender segregation and adequate provision of Arabic and religious studies). For expatriate families, there is a need for high-quality schools, with tuition fees ranging from low to middle, structured around the Indian, standard UK, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the US curricula.

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