Abu dhabi: The Education Statistics in GCC Countries 2024 report, issued by the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat), has highlighted significant growth in the education sector across GCC nations. This growth is attributed to the expansion of educational institutions and a rise in the numbers of students and teachers, underlining the strategic importance that GCC countries place on developing human capital and enhancing education quality.
According to Emirates News Agency, the report indicated that the total number of students enrolled in general education in GCC countries reached approximately 10.9 million in the 2023/2024 academic year, compared to about 10.4 million in 2018/2019. This represents an average annual growth rate of 0.8% over the past five years, with students accounting for 17.7% of the total GCC population.
The report further detailed that the public education sector accommodates the majority of students, with around 7.6 million students, representing 70.2% of the total. Meanwhile, the private sector enrolled approximately 3.3 million students, recording an average annual growth rate of 4.8%, compared to a slight decline of -0.6% in public education during the same period.
In terms of gender distribution, the report noted that female students represented 49.5% of total enrolment in general education, with approximately 5.4 million females compared to 5.5 million males. Female student numbers grew at an average annual rate of 2.3%, compared to 0.4% for males between 2018/2019 and 2023/2024.
Regarding teaching staff, the total number of teachers in general education across GCC countries reached approximately 940.1 thousand in the 2023/2024 academic year, marking an increase of about 169 thousand teachers compared to 2018/2019. The average annual growth rate for teachers was 4%.
The report also highlighted that school education, which includes general education, adult education, and literacy programmes, accounted for the largest share of teachers, with around 842 thousand teachers (89.6% of the total). Early childhood education employed approximately 98.1 thousand teachers, representing 10.4%. Female teachers constituted the majority of the teaching workforce, accounting for 63.8%.
On an institutional level, the report emphasized the continued expansion of educational institutions across all levels, driven by rising demand for education and increasing student numbers. It also pointed to developments in higher education systems and overseas scholarship programmes, which contribute to preparing qualified GCC talent across various fields.
The report affirmed that GCC countries have made notable progress in education indicators over past decades, buoyed by significant government investments in educational infrastructure and strategies aimed at improving quality, fostering innovation, and aligning education outcomes with labour market needs.
Additionally, GCC countries are working on strengthening educational integration among member states, leveraging digital transformation in education, and developing future skills and curricula in line with global economic and technological shifts. This effort aims to enhance the competitiveness of the GCC education system on an international level.