The group’s educator community crosses 10,000 from 112 nationalities as it builds on talent investment and academic excellence 

Dubai, August 27, 2026: GEMS Education has welcomed 1,550 new teachers into its schools for the 2026-27 academic year, growing its educator community to more than 10,000 from 112 nationalities. This follows a global recruitment process and coincides with the start of the new school year. 

The newly appointed teachers were welcomed at GEMS Awareness Day 2026, the group’s annual gathering of incoming teachers, school leaders and senior leadership and advisors. 

Sunny Varkey, founder and chairman of GEMS Education, said the future of education would be shaped by the people entrusted to prepare the next generation. “That is why we are investing significantly in attracting exceptional educators from around the world, developing their potential and equipping them with the tools, technology and environment to deliver the highest standards of academic excellence,” Varkey said. The group receives more than 500,000 job applications annually.  

GEMS’ recruitment model draws on both UAE-based and international talent. UAE-based teachers bring knowledge of the local education landscape, curricula and communities, while international recruitment allows the group to draw on educational perspectives and practices from major markets abroad.  

Rather than relying on a single recruitment market, GEMS said its scale allows it to tailor recruitment to the needs of individual schools, curricula and communities. 

That scale also supports internal career movement. Teachers can move between schools, curricula, roles and geographies within the network, and can progress into leadership positions. More than 40% of principal appointments over the past 12 months were internal, which GEMS said reflects its emphasis on developing and retaining talent from within. 

The group reported its strongest teacher retention performance to date, with turnover continuing to decline year on year. More than 3,000 GEMS employees have been with the organisation for more than a decade. GEMS also continues to invest in developing local talent through its Emirati Teacher Assistant Upskilling Programme, which has trained more than 330 Emiratis within the organisation. 

“Buildings and technology matter, but teachers remain the greatest investment we can make. When we invest in outstanding educators, we invest directly in every child’s potential and in developing the confident, capable and compassionate leaders our world will need,” says Varkey.