Susmitha Nachiket
As demand for private schools increases in GCC, the marketing departments gear up with innovative strategies to bring in new enrollments
The GCC market is witnessing a rapid growth of private educational institutions. While the numbers are still growing in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, Qatar and UAE have seen private institutions surpass public ones.
At present, Dubai has more than 200 private schools, educating more than 300,000 students in 17 different curriculums. The education sector in the UAE has experienced a significant boom after COVID.
Dubai’s population is constantly rising – predictions are that it will rise from 9 to 20 million in the next 20 years – and the demand for education will only increase. Many families, mainly from Europe and Asia, are moving to Dubai to experience a better quality of life. The UAE government has also been very forward-thinking regarding the opportunities to expatriate families.
According to Alison Roberts, Head of Marketing and Admissions, Swiss International School, a boarding school is seeing its highest growth because families are no longer interested in sending their children on a long haul for boarding. “They are appreciating the safety and risk-free environment that Dubai offers as an education and boarding destination,” she says.
