Education market confident of growth

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

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 aggregate 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 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." -  sandhya@khaleejtimes.com