sector focus - Education

According to Alpen Capital, the total number of students in the GCC education sector is projected to increase from 14.0 million to 15.5 million at a CAGR of 2.1% between 2024 - 2029. Among the various segments, the pre-primary segment is expected to witness the fastest growth, with student enrolments projected to increase at a CAGR of 2.7% between 2024–2029. The tertiary segment is projected to expand steadily, with a CAGR of 2.1%, along with the primary and secondary segments which are anticipated to grow at CAGRs of 2.0% and 2.1%, respectively, over the forecast period. The number of K-12 students in private schools are expected to grow at a slightly faster pace of 2.3% CAGR, as compared to public schools which is forecasted to increase at a CAGR of 2.0% between 2024 – 2029.

Saudi Arabia is expected to remain the largest education market, accounting for 64.6% of the region’s total student enrolments by 2029. In terms of annualized growth, Oman is projected to lead with a CAGR of 3.3% during the 2024–2029 period, followed by Bahrain at 2.4%, and the UAE and Qatar, both at 2.2%. The demand for schools across the GCC region is expected to rise at a CAGR of 1.4% during the forecast period, requiring an addition of more than 2,800 schools by 2029.