The Education Sector in the GCC Countries
Believing in the significance of the education sector and its role in national workforce localization, Mashroo3k Economic Consultancy and Market Research is pleased to present the key educational indicators in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—inviting investment in this vital sector:
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The total number of early childhood education students (including nurseries and kindergartens) in the GCC countries reached approximately 851.5 thousand students, according to the latest available statistics.
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The number of students in school education stages is estimated at 9.3 million, with 79.4% enrolled in public schools and 20.6% in private schools.
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Adult education centers recorded around 181,247 learners.
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The total number of higher education students is 2,206,446.
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The number of early childhood education teachers is 50,647.
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The number of school education teachers is approximately 727,904.
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There are 5,806 operational institutions in early childhood education.
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There are 32,310 operational institutions in school education.
Over recent years, GCC governments have worked to bridge the gap between education and labor market needs. They have adopted curricula aimed at increasing the share of vocational and technical education and promoted learning through digital platforms and modern technologies. Additionally, these six countries have significantly increased their spending on education to produce graduates who meet the private sector’s workforce demands.
According to the latest statistics:
By 2023, the private education market in GCC countries is expected to reach a value of USD 26.2 billion.
The Global Education Sector
The global education services market was valued at approximately USD 2,882.52 billion by the end of 2021. Experts projected this figure to reach USD 3,191.79 billion by the end of 2022, marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7%.
Looking ahead to 2026, the market is expected to grow further to USD 4,623.90 billion, achieving a CAGR of 9.7% over the forecast period.