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Sunday 08 November 2009 (UAE)
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GEMS Education and GEMS schools
GEMS Education is a division of the Varkey Group, a privately owned company based in Dubai with interests mainly in education but also in healthcare and construction. GEMS stands for Global Education Management System, not the plural of GEM schools. Note that the Dubai Gem School is not part of the GEMS school network, despite the name (as far as we know - it's not in the list of schools on the GEMS school website).
List of GEMS schools in the UAE
| School Name | Emirate | Tel | Level | Curriculum | Qualifications | School Fees | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Khaleej National School | Dubai | +971-4-2822707 | K-12 | UAE/US | HS Diploma | 11,275-21,576 | |
| American Academy Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | +971-2-6416333 | K-12 | US | IB (pending approval) | 25,000-53,700 | AAAD comments |
| American School Ajman | Ajman | planned | primary | US | ASA comments | ||
| American School Fujairah | Fujairah | planned | K-12 | US | |||
| Badrah School Dubai Waterfront | Dubai | planned | K-12 | International | |||
| Boathouse School Palm Jumeirah | Dubai | planned | primary | ||||
| Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | +971-2-5521621 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE, IGCSE | ||
| Cambridge International School Al Quoz | Dubai | planned | K-12 | UK | |||
| Cambridge International School Dubai | Dubai | +971-4-2824646 | K-12 | UK | A-level, IGCSE | 13,456-18,270 | |
| Cambridge International School Jumeirah Village | Dubai | planned | K-12 | UK | |||
| Dubai American Academy | Dubai | +971-4-3479222 | K-12 | US | IB | 15,740-58,275 | DAA comments |
| GEMS World Academy | Dubai | +971-4-3736373 | K-12 | UK/US | IB DP, MYP, PYP | 53,000-92,000 | GWA comments |
| GEMS World School Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | planned | K-12 | UK/US | IB DP, MYP, PYP | GWSAD comments | |
| Jumeirah College | Dubai | +971-4-3954950 | secondary | UK | A-level, GCSE | 48,024-60,030 | |
| Jumeirah Primary City School | Dubai | renamed WPS | primary | UK | 34,510-43,500 | JPCS comments | |
| Jumeirah Primary School | Dubai | +971-4-3943500 | primary | UK | NC | 30,920-38,976 | JPS comments |
| Millennium School Dubai | Dubai | +971-4-2988567 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 9,860-14,500 | |
| Modern High School Dubai | Dubai | K-12 | Indian | CISCE ICSE, ISC | 14,094-20,880 | MHSD comments | |
| OOEHS Sharjah Boys | Sharjah | +971-6-5355227 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 4,150-6,700 | OSB comments |
| Our Own English High School Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi | +971-2-6425990 | K-10 | Indian | CBSE | 2,400-3,500 | OOEHSAD comments |
| Our Own English High School Al Ain | Al Ain | +971-3-7679747 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 2,770-5,770 | OOEHSAA comments |
| Our Own English High School Dubai | Dubai | +971-4-3374112 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 4,020-8,630 | OOEHSD comments |
| Our Own English High School Fujairah | Fujairah | +971-9-2227127 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE, IGCSE | 3,050-6,500 | OOEHSF comments |
| Our Own English High School Sharjah | Sharjah | +971-6-5386486 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 3,100-6,700 | OOEHSS comments |
| Our Own High School | Dubai | +971-4-2800077 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 5,700-10,150 | OOHS comments |
| Our Own Indian School | Dubai | +971-4-3391188 | K-12 | Indian | CBSE | 2,950-6,050 | OOIS comments |
| Royal Dubai School | Dubai | +971-4-2886499 | K-10 | UK | NC, GCSE, A-level | 30,084-53,399 | RDS comments |
| Sheffield School Dubai | Dubai | +971-4-2678444 | K-10 | UK | GCSE | 18,560-29,000 | SSD comments |
| Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls | Abu Dhabi | +971-2-4469777 | K-12 | Arabic/Canadian/US | HS Diploma | 23,700-54,700 | |
| Silicon Oasis GEMS School | Dubai | renamed GWA | K-12 | UK | IB DP | SOGS comments | |
| The Kindergarten Starters | Dubai | +971-4-2824090 | primary | Indian | CBSE | 4,060-5,394 | TKS comments |
| Varkey International School | Dubai | renamed OOIS | K-12 | Indian | CBSE, SSLC | VIS comments | |
| Wellington Academy Dubai | Dubai | K-12 | UK | NC | WAD comments | ||
| Wellington International School | Dubai | +971-4-3484999 | K-12 | UK | IB, AS / A-level, I/GCSE | 33,249-72,335 | |
| Wellington International School Palm Jumeirah | Dubai | planned | primary | UK | NC | ||
| Wellington Primary School | Dubai | +971-4-3433266 | primary | UK | NC FS1-2 KS1-2 | 34,510-43,500 | WPS comments |
| Westminster School Dubai | Dubai | +971-4-2988333 | K-12 | Arabic/UK | A-level, IGCSE | 4,802-9,338 | WSD comments |
| Winchester School Dubai | Dubai | +971-4-8820444 | primary | Indian / UK | NC | 8,352-16,008 | WSD comments |
GEMS Education profile and contact details
| Chairman | Sunny Varkey |
| Postal Address | PO Box 8607, Dubai, UAE |
| Telephone | +971-4-3477770 |
| Fax | +971-4-3403390 |
| global@gemseducation.com |
GEMS school general information and updates
GEMS Schools expansion plans 18 September 2009
- An Arabian Business report said GEMS expansion plans by 2014 included up to 100 schools in India, another 100 schools in the MENA region, and 20 schools in the USA. The GEMS Senior Director of Business Operations, Dino Varkey was quoted as as saying:
- "In order, we're looking to expand in India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar ... In India, we're looking to grow to a hundred schools in the next five years"
- "From a MENA perspective, we will be looking at probably another hundred schools, with the balance in Saudi and Egypt just because of the macro factors ... And we're going to continue investing in the UAE, specifically in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah."
- According to the report, GEMS presently has 100 schools in 11 countries, including 5 in India, with about 100,000 students, and 6,500 teachers with 50 different nationalities represented.
- GEMS is licensed to operate in 9 US states
- GEMS has an education services consultancy licence for Saudi Arabia, where they will manage the first school in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in a deal signed with the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA). Perhaps referring to the The World Academy which was due to open September 2009.
GEMS transport fee increases 02 March 2009
GEMS are increasing bus transport fees in several schools as a result of outsourcing them to Bright Bus Transport Company, and cancelling them in others from 01 April 2009, according to a Khaleej Times report 02 March 2009:
- American Academy in Abu Dhabi - bus service cancelled
- Cambridge International School - bus service cancelled
- OOEHS Abu Dhabi - fees increase 150-300 dhs & 250-330 dhs
- OOEHS Al Ain - fees increase between 42-95%
- OOEHS Fujairah - fees increase between 42-95%
- OOEHS Sharjah - fees increase of 105%
- Sharjah Boys' Branch (OOEHS?) fees increase 105%
GEMS school figures 28 January 2009
Mr Dino Varkey was on the radio discussing the Dubai Modern High School fees increases (GEMS DMHS fees radio). During the conversation he said that GEMS is now up to 26 schools with 52,000 students in the UAE.
GEMS school figures and expansion plans 23 July 2008
As of July 2008, GEMS have 25 schools in the UAE with about 70,000 students (18 schools in Dubai, 4 in Abu Dhabi, 1 in Al Ain, 1 in Fujairah, 1 in Sharjah), 75 schools worldwide. GEMS plans to spend AED 1.5 billion by 2010 or 2011, developing more facilities to provide 20,000 - 28,000 more school places (The National 23 July 2008).
GEMS free SMS text service for parents - 01 October 2007
GEMS Oasis SMS is a new text messaging system from GEMS where parents can send an SMS from their mobile phones, with their student's ID number, and receive information by SMS about attendance, exam results, timetables, exam dates, outstanding fees. The system will be available for all GEMS UAE schools.
GEMS to borrow $100m for expansion plans - 08 July 2007
National Bank of Dubai Investment Bank said they would arrange a $100m (Dh 367m) loan for GEMS by the end of July 2007. GEMS will use the money to refinance existing debt and develop more schools in the UAE.
GEMS alliance with Edison Schools - 23 January 2007
Gulf News reported that GEMS formed an alliance with New York based Edison Schools who manage public sector schools in the US and the UK. Under the agreement, GEMS will be able to use the Edison name to manage schools in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Maybe GEMS schools in Dubai and the UAE will be rebadged as Edison schools to give an air of prestige?
General notes for GEMS schools - 23 January 2007
The GEMS motto is "Educating for Brilliant Futures". There will be many parents and teachers who might claim there's a couple of gaps and it should read "Educating for GEMS Brilliant Profitable Future". Especially after the drama in January 2007 about GEMS 70% fee increases in several of their schools (in the end it was put off till December 2007). Whilst the frustrations of parents with regards to fees are understandable, it's a harsh truth that in Dubai and the UAE, if the opportunity to run a school in a profitable manner wasn't available, there would undoubtedly be a shortage of educational institutes for expat children.
Whatever you might think about GEMS, they do provide a wide range of schools (22 in the UAE, with more under development) and pricing options for customers in Dubai. Their website has a handy selector where you can filter by place, price, curriculum to choose a suitable school for your offspring. Schools managed by GEMS vary widely in quality and working conditions with places like Dubai American Academy having a good reputation while others are less sought after by parents, students and teachers. To put it diplomatically. See individual schools (list below) for ratings and comments where available. GEMS schools are sometimes referred to as Varkey schools or Varkey Group schools since GEMS is the education unit of the Varkey Group.
List of GEMS schools in the Middle East, Europe, and rest of the world
GEMS schools in Jordan
- Aqaba International School - Aqaba
GEMS schools in Kuwait
- GEMS Kuwait International English School (KIES) - founded 1991, taken over by GEMS for September 2007.
GEMS schools in Libya
- International School, Tripoli (Tripoli International School) - Tripoli
GEMS schools in Qatar
- Al Khor International School (British Stream) - Doha
- Al Khor International School (Indian Stream) - Doha
- Doha Modern Indian School - Doha
- The Cambridge International School for Girls - Doha
- The Cambridge School - Doha
GEMS schools in Great Britain / United Kingdom (UK)
- Abbotsford Preparatory School - Manchester
- Brabyns Preparatory School - Stockport
- Bury Lawn School - Milton Keynes
- Clevelands Preparatory School - Bolton
- Firwood Manor Preparatory School - Oldham
- Kingswood College - Ormskirk
- Lady Lane Park School - Bingley
- Ladymede School - Aylesbury
- Moor Allerton Preparatory School - Manchester
- Sherborne House School - Chandlers Ford
- Sherfield School - Sherfield-on-Loddon
- St. Colette's Preparatory School - Cambridge
- The Hampshire School - London
GEMS schools in India
- Bawa Lalvani Public School - Punjab
- Cambridge International School - Dasuya
- Kothari International School - Noida
- Pailan World School - Kolkata
- Parasrampuria GEMS International School - Jaipur
- Starex International School - Greater Delhi
- The Cambridge International School for Girls - Jalandhar
GEMS schools in Saudi Arabia
- The World Academy (TWA) in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), American/IB curriculum, grade K-8 in phase I (open September 2009?), to grade 12 in phase II (open 2012). Head of school Andrew Westerman (unconfirmed).
GEMS schools in South Africa
- GEMS are planning to open schools in South Africa according to a report in The National 23 July 2008
Last update Tuesday 20-Oct-2009
Related pages
- Varkey Group - mother company of GEMS Education
- UAE education providers - list of other school groups
Related websites (open in new window)
- www.gemseducation.com - GEMS Education website
- Dubai directory - add your link free