Nine new schools to open in Abu Dhabi next academic year

The new schools, which will cater for about 11,500 pupils, will be located across the emirate, including three in Al Ain.

ABU DHABI // Nine schools will open in the emirate next academic year, the Abu Dhabi Education Council announced on Tuesday.

The schools, which will cater for a total of 11,500 pupils, will be located across the emirate, including three in Al Ain.

“The emirate’s private schools currently serve 245,000 students,” said Hamad Al Dhaheri, Adec’s executive director of private schools.

"This number has increased by 9,000 students compared to the previous academic year and is expected to increase further next year due to the growing demand on the curricula adopted by Adec," Mr Al Dhaheri told Aletihad, the Arabic-language sister newspaper of The National.

Ten schools have opened their doors this academic year so far, serving 23,509 pupils, which has reduced the burden on other schools, Mr Al Dhaheri said.

In the school year 2015-2016, the emirate had 186 private schools with a capacity of 236,000 pupils, in Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain and the Western Region.

Private schools in the emirate follow 14 curricula, with about 87 per cent enrolment among private school students.

Over the past five years, the education regulator has recorded a 6 per cent annual growth rate in the number of students attending private schools.