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Private sector’s role in education hailed

DUBAI — The Minister of Education, Dr Hanif Hassan, has praised the role of the private sector in supporting and boosting the education system in the country.

For several years, the private sector has been investing in and taking special care of the UAE’s education sector, Dr Hassan told Khaleej Times, adding that the private sector had also been partnering the public sector in education.

“The private sector is providing quality education as well as excellent services to the students, their parents and the society,” Dr Hassan noted.

In the last few years, the number of private schools in the country has grown substantially and they are catering to students of all nationalities, including the nationals, he added.

Ismael Mohammad, head of the Private Education Department at the Ministry of Education, reiterated the role of the private schools.

He pointed to a number of private investors in this sector, such as the GEMS group, which runs around 25 schools in the country, in addition to Bekon, Al Futaim, Al Ghurair and Belhoul.

Meanwhile, Fatima Al Marri, CEO of the School Agency, said that the government was mulling renting out the vacant government school buildings to the private schools although no final decision had been made in this regard so far. Speaking on the subject, Obaid Al Gaud, head of UAQ Educational Zone, said it’s an excellent idea.

“However, it needs to be regulated, because at the end of the day, it will benefit all parties.”