Textbooks could be passé in 10 years: UAE education experts

Dubai - Research suggests that the global educational technology (EdTech) market is set to reach $404 billion by 2025.

Education experts in the UAE believe that with how the pandemic is accelerating schools’ digital transformation, e-learning content could replace textbooks in the next 10 years.

Research suggests that the global educational technology (EdTech) market is set to reach $404 billion by 2025.

The recently held EdX Accelerate Education Summit and Awards 2020 gave an insight into the emerging trend. “EdTech is growing at 16.3 per cent and will grow 2.5 times from 2019 to 2025, reaching $404 billion in total global expenditure. Even at this level, EdTech and digital expenditure will only make up 5.2 per cent of the $7.3-trillion global education market in 2025.”

According to another recent report by Alpen Capital, the total number of students in the nations under the Gulf Cooperation Council is projected to reach 14.5 million in 2022.

Krishnan Gopi, group chief disruption officer at GEMS Education, said 75 per cent of teachers believed digital learning content would replace printed textbooks in the next decade.

He said: “Data is the new currency and teachers are not the only source of knowledge for students. Disruption in education is being led by EdTech providers, including the technology giants such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft.”

Covid-19 has accelerated the digital disruption in Dh246-billion education sector of the GCC region, prompting teachers to hold virtual classes, assign tasks online and conduct exams digitally.