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United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a prominent country in the Middle East. It is a federation made up of seven emirates which are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE.
As of 2018, the approximate population of UAE is 9.5 million. A whopping 88.5% of the population are expatriates and only 11.5% are local Emiratis. Therefore, it is no surprise that UAE has a thriving international school market.
Here are five things about international schools in UAE that you should know:
1. UAE has over 600 international schools
According to a report in December 2017 by the International School Consultancy (ISC), UAE is home to 627 international schools. A majority of international schools are located in the city of Dubai. The demand for English-medium international school education continues to grow among local and expatriate residents. Experts state that around 50 more international schools are needed in Dubai to meet this growing demand.
2. The international school market is competitive
International schools in UAE mainly cater to children of expatriates from countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, United States and other parts of Asia. There is also no quota for local student enrolment in international schools located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Many international schools strive to get accredited to maintain a strong reputation among the sea of international schools available. The market is only going to get more competitive as 17 new schools are slated to open during the 2018-2019 academic year.
3.Second highest school fees in the world
Only overtaken by Hong Kong, UAE has the second highest school fees in the world. There are a number of premium international schools in UAE that come with a cost that can only be afforded by highly-paid expatriates. International schools in UAE offering the International Baccalaureate Curriculum have some of the highest fees. Therefore, a majority of professional expatriates and middle class local families are demanding more affordable international schools to open in the UAE.
4. Demand for the National Curriculum of England
The National Curriculum of England, or the British Curriculum, is well-established and is the first choice among expatriate and local parents when it comes to curricula offered by schools. Around half of the international schools in UAE offer the British Curriculum. Other curricula offered by international schools in UAE are the American Curriculum, International Baccalaureate Curriculum, Indian Curriculum, Canadian Curriculum and French Curriculum.
5. Importance of inclusive learning
An increasing number of international schools around the world have provisions to cater to students with special learning needs. There is a demand from local and expatriate parents for international schools that are more inclusive in UAE. In addition, local parents who have children with special learning needs turn to international schools as special learning support is not available at national schools.
To find out more about international schools and preschools in UAE, make sure to use the powerful School Finder on www.EducationDestinationAsia.com.
