Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) – the government body responsible for developing the private education sector in Dubai – has produced a new report illustrating how higher student enrolments are boosting long-term economic growth.

Private education sector worth AED8 billion

According to Education Journal ME the ‘Dubai Private Education Landscape’ report was unveiled by KHDA in London at an event hosted for investors, educators and consultants by the UAE embassy in the UK. The private education sector is currently worth AED8 billion in tuition fees and annual revenue.The report revealed an average annual enrolment growth of 6.6 per cent over the last decade with 120 new schools expected to open over the next ten years. 

Key highlights of Dubai's private education landscape

Number of schools: 185
Number of students: 273,599 
Number of Emirati students: 32,116 
Number of nationalities: 187 
Number of curricula: 16 Student enrolments have grown by 89 per cent in the last ten years and total student enrolments are expected to reach 470,000 students over the next decade. “By improving access to private education and enabling a wider choice for families we are opening more avenues for high-quality education with a focus on happiness, wellbeing and positive education,” said KHDA director general Dr Abdulla Karam.

Fifteen new schools opened in the emirate in 2016/17 alone, accounting for 5842 students. 25 per cent of the emirate's 273,000-strong student body transferred to the new schools that opened. Overall, enrolment grew by 3.1 per cent in 2016/17.

Ten new schools to open in 2017

An additional 10 new schools will open for the 2017/18 school year providing additional school places to keep up with the growing demand for high-quality education. The British curriculum is the most popular option, with 73 schools accounting for 91,903 students, followed by the Indian curriculum with 33 schools and 78,844 students, and the US curriculum with 34 schools and 48,397 students.

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Commenting on the report, KHDA director general Dr Abdulla Karam said, “Dubai is a community which thrives on collaboration and it represents an opportunity for everyone. We have seen consistent and strong growth in private education over the years and this has contributed to an improvement in the overall standard of living and long-term economic growth for Dubai.”For related news and features, visit our Schools & Education section.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory  Get access to our free Global Mobility Toolkit