Dubai: 4 new schools open in 2022-23 academic year; add 7,000 seats

Four new private schools opened in the 2022-2023 academic year, offering 7,000 additional seats across three curricula: British, American and International Baccalaureate.

In April this year, enrollment in Dubai’s private schools crossed 300,000, “the highest ever in its history”. Private school students in Dubai represent 187 nationalities.

Dubai has seen a marked rise in the number of schools catering to specific communities in recent years. In just the past three years, 21 new private schools opened, taking the total number of schools in the sector to 215 and international curriculum choices to 18.

UK curriculum schools are the top choice (35 per cent), followed by Indian curriculum (26 per cent), US (16 per cent) and International Baccalaureate (6 per cent).

Dr Abdulla Al Karam, director-general of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, said: “Dubai’s private education sector is characterised by the diversity of its students, its curricula and the choices it offers parents from different communities. This diversity drives further growth by attracting experienced and passionate teachers, and new families who come to Dubai for the world-class education their children will receive.”

World’s best in Dubai

Last year, the Chinese School Dubai became the first ever institution to offer the Chinese national curriculum for K-12 education outside the country. The school’s campus located in Mirdif brings the teaching model of China’s highly rated Hangzhou No. 2 High School to Dubai.

Although it has mainly focused on serving the Chinese community in the emirate, the not-for-profit school is also opening its doors to students from other nationalities.

In another recent school launch, Britain’s prestigious 500-year-old Royal Grammar School Guildford opened in the city. The school is ranked as one of the top schools in the UK at both A Level and GCSE. In its first academic year in 2021-22, Royal Grammar School Guildford, located in the Tilal Al Ghaf development, had enrolled 250 students.