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British curriculum proves popular in UAE

Private schools offering the British curriculum have always been a preferred choice for parents in the UAE looking to send their children to the United Kingdom for their higher education.
Although British nationals only represent roughly two to three per cent of the population in the UAE, the British curriculum has constantly remained within the top three offered in the UAE's private school sector. The popularity rests not only on the large presence of British Nationals in the UAE, but as it is also favoured by number of other nationalities such as Indian, Pakistani, as well as nationals from different Arab and Commonwealth Countries.
There is also the demand from non-UK nationals to attend higher education in the UK with the British curriculum seen as at least a proponent and sometimes a prerequisite to entry. The popularity of the English curriculum in the country presents an attractive opportunity to investors and operators offering the British curriculum, Colliers International's recent white paper has revealed.
The white paper showcases the current state of the private school industry with focus on British Schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi presenting the recent trends, growth drivers, and challenges; and also provides an outlook of the industry until 2025. By end of academic year of 2014-2015, schools offering the British curriculum stand at number one in Dubai and number three in Abu Dhabi.
The paper revealed that out of a total of 255,000 private school students, the British curriculum schools represent some 85,000 students, approximately 33 per cent of total students in private schools in Dubai; followed by the Indian curriculum at 31 per cent, and the US curriculum at 18 per cent. By 2025, Dubai will require an additional 166,000 to 224,000 seats in private education sector out of which approximately 55,000 to 74,000 will be for British curriculum schools. With an average size of 1,500 students per school, Dubai requires an estimated 37 to 49 new British curriculum schools by 2025 or roughly three to five schools every year.
Students enrolled at British curriculum schools represent 22 per cent of the private sector student body, some 50,000 out of the total of 223,000 students in private schools in Abu Dhabi. Trailing behind are the US curriculum at 24 per cent, and the Ministry of Education (MoE) curriculum at 23 per cent. By 2025, Abu Dhabi is estimated to require an additional 172,000 to 230,000 seats in private education sector out of which approximately 39,000 to 52,000 will be for British curriculum schools. With an average size of 1,300 students per school, Abu Dhabi requires an estimated 30 to 40 new British curriculum schools by 2025 or roughly three to four schools every year.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com