GCC faces teacher shortage as student numbers soar

The total number of students in the GCC education sector is projected to reach 15 million in 2020 but the region faces a shortage of teachers and an overdependence on expats, according to a new report.

Alpen Capital said the number is set to increase from an estimated 12.6 million in 2015 as an expanding base of school and college age population is likely to drive the growth.

The number of students at private schools is projected to grow at a 5.1 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to 2020 while enrolments at public schools are anticipated to increase at an annual average of 2.6 percent.

Alpen’s report said Saudi Arabia will continue to dominate the education market in the GCC by 2020. From an estimated 9.2 million in 2015, the total number of students in the Gulf kingdom is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 3.5 percent to 11 million in 2020.

In terms of annualised growth from 2015 to 2020, the number of students in Oman, Qatar, and the UAE are projected to grow faster than the other member nations, it added.

Alpen said the GCC governments’ investments coupled with private sector participation have resulted in a spate of projects in the region’s education sector. More than 500 educational projects collectively worth above $50 billion are under various stages of development across the member nations.

The report said demand for schools in the GCC region is likely to increase at a 3 percent CAGR from an estimated 43,903 in 2015 to 50,978 in 2020.

Source