“Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself” - John Dewey
In the recent years the UAE has been waking up to the wisdom in the above statement. While the economics of the country have changed the landscape, attention to education has changed the Mindscape and has broadened the horizon of the people. The education sector is booming in UAE.
According to a report titled ‘The Education Sector in the UAE to 2016’ released recently, UAE is becoming a highly sought after destination for foreign education organizations as well as investors.
Academic excellence being a key focus of the government, approximately 24 per cent of total government expenditure is allocated to the UAE education sector. Which is estimated at a market size of $7.3 billion (Dh26.8 billion),
An education, training and careers fair called Najah is being held in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development. It is aimed to attract visitors and exhibitors. The exhibition will be held from October 29 to 31 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).
It serves as a melting pot for visitors, students and investors from different backgrounds to intermingle and exchange views. In fact, prominent institutions that will be participating in this year’s fair, include Abu Dhabi University, the American University of Sharjah, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, Masdar Institute, Al Ain University and the University of Jazeera.
Besides, the education extravaganza extends to an international reach as well where there will be participation from Australia, Malaysia, the USA and Japan as well.
Last year at the Najah exhibition, 2012, around 69 per cent of all visitors were Emiratis and the vast majority were either school leavers or recent graduates. Standing at the threshold of their careers or looking out for better advancements, these young minds formed the bulk as they came to explore future careers in education.
It’s not just students and investors, opportunities like these exhibitions also draw parents who come to explore better education options for their children.
Recent studies have shown that parents are skeptical about fees and locations of new private schools which are to be built in Khalifa A, Al Wathba and Al Falah areas to meet increasing demand, as announced by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec)
The curricula to be offered in the new schools will comply with generally those which are most in demand, namely, Indian, American, British and Ministry of Education systems.
Besides, there is a projected five increase in the number of seats for private schools by 2015/2016 academic year. ADEC bids to meet demand in the lower education sector. The growth projects an 11,000 school seat increase in the coming three years. These schools are to be fully equipped with gymnasiums, libraries and other facilities.
The current demand is to provide 201,744 private school seats and the supply is 175,441. By the 2015/2016 academic school year the demand is expected to rise to 225,521. “Thus we are involved in providing all opportunities possible to facilitate the opening of new private schools,” said Tareq Al Ameri, Business Development Division manager, Private Schools and Quality Assurance (PSQA) Sector at ADEC.
In a nutshell, the education scenario in the UAE is not only booming, but is a finer sense it is blossoming . As more provisions are made for facilitating improved education means, the efforts are attracting students, parents and foreign investments . Combined together, UAE is being propelled to greater heights.
