GEMS Education and GEMS schools  

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, it is 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). Some (or all?) GEMS Schools operate under the name Premier Schools International LLC (incorporated in 2006 in Dubai)?

List of GEMS schools in the UAE

GEMS school fee increases

GEMS school fee increases 05 May 2012

• In April 2012 the Dubai KHDA announced maximum permitted school fee increases for schools in Dubai for 2012-2013 based on results of the KHDA inspections for 2012.
• As some GEMS schools in Dubai had been permitted fee increases by the UAE Ministry of Education in 2010 (resulting in a 10% increase for 2012-2013), overruling the previous KHDA fee freeze, the KHDA said they would not be allowed a further increase in fees for 2012-2013 based on the inspection results.
• The National reported on 05 May 2012 that Mohammed Darwish, the chief of the Regulations and Compliance Commission at the KHDA, said parents could be assured that the new fee framework would not apply to those schools this year.
• The schools affected by this are:
  • Our Own English High School in Al Warqa
  • Our Own High School in Al Warqa
  • Our Own Indian School in Al Quoz
  • The Millennium School in Al Qusais
  • The Kindergarten Starters in Al Garhoud

GEMS school fee increases 19 January 2012

Gulf News reported that GEMS were increasing fees in some of their schools again, for the 2012-2013 academic year, in accordance with the UAE Ministry of Education decision in May 2010 to allow them an annual 10% increase for three years. Parents are understandably annoyed. Unknown what the KHDA in Dubai plans to do about it (if anything), as they had imposed a freeze on school fee increases in Dubai. Schools affected by the increase include all GEMS schools in Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, offering the Indian CBSE curriculum (reported figures only, confirmed figures not supplied):

• GEMS Our Own English High School Fujairah - unclear information supplied. Fees might be AED 3,853-8,236 for 2012-2013 ... Or maybe AED 4,238-9,060?
• GEMS Our Own English High School Sharjah - Grade 1 annual fees increasing from AED 6,050 (in 2011-2012) to AED 6,655 (in 2012-2013). Grade 12 fees increasing from AED 9,680 to AED 10,648.
• GEMS Our Own School Al Warqa Dubai (also or previously called Our Own Community School Al Warqa) - CBSE and/or iCBSE curriculum. Fee increase information not supplied.
• Millenium School Sharjah - unclear if fees were increased or not (appear to have decreased since first opened). No information supplied.
• Our Own English High School Al Warqa'a Dubai - confirmation of fee increase not supplied but if implemented, then will be AED 7,425-12,811 for 2012-2013.

A Gulf News report 19 January 2012 quoted a GEMS spokesperson as saying "New Indian schools have or are being built and all have been allowed to set much higher fees than these older schools. This has led to concern about our schools' ability to remain sustainable and their ability to continue to compete in the market for good teachers, something that is essential in order to provide a quality education for children." It's not clear how the fee increases improve the ability of GEMS to "compete in the market for good teachers" since GEMS teachers do not appear to have received salary increases.

GEMS school fee increases 14 February 2011

• GEMS increased fees in some (4, 5, and 6 schools reported) of its Indian schools for 2011-2012 by about AED 50-100 per month.
• Emirates Business 24-7 reported on 14 February 2011 that Gems said it has received approval from the Ministry of Education to implement the hike. The National said on the same day The ministry confirmed yesterday that the 2010 agreement allowed an increase of about 10 per cent every year for three consecutive years.
• Newsletters sent to parents of the affected schools included a statement something like "In order for all our students to reach the levels of academic success that our parents and GEMS expect, schools must be self-sustaining in order to continue to improve the quality of education for our students, parents and faculty."
• Schools with increased fees include (unknown if this is a complete list):
  • Our Own English High School in Dubai (46-97 dhs per month increase).
  • Our Own English High School in Sharjah (10%, or 44-88 dhs per month increase).
  • Our Own English High School Sharjah (Boys) (maybe 10% increase from 2010-2011, and 20% increase from 2009-2010)
  • Our Own English High School Al Warqa'a branch (56-97 dhs per month increase).
  • Our Own Indian School Dubai (32%, or 105-215 dhs per month increase, not confirmed)?
  • The Millennium School?
  • The Kindergarten Starters (46-61 dhs per month increase).
  • The Winchester School?
• No fee increase at The Modern High School for 2011-2012.
• In May 2010, several GEMS schools in Dubai were given permission by the UAE Ministry of Education to increase fees for 2010-2011, overruling an instruction from the KHDA to Dubai schools requiring them not to increase fees.

GEMS school fee increases 2010-2011 - 15 May 2010

• Some of the GEMS schools in Dubai are reportedly increasing tuition fees for the 2010-2011 academic year, by up to 15-20%. The UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) has apparently approved the increases despite the KHDA fee freeze imposed in March 2010.
• Khaleej Times reported on 25 May 2010 Mohammed Darwish of the KHDA as saying "No increase in school fees is effective and payable unless the school receives written approval from the KHDA," but GEMS apparently did not receive written approval from the KHDA, who appear to have been overruled by the UAE MOE.
• See Dubai school fees increase for more details.

GEMS schools face closure over fee freeze - 30 March 2010

• A 30 March 2010 report in the Khaleej Times (and similar reports in other UAE newspapers) said that GEMS was considering closing some of its cheaper schools if they were not allowed to increase fees as a result of the KHDA fee freeze for 2010-2011.
• GEMS Chairman, Sunny Varkey, was quoted as saying "It is impossible to run old schools at less than half the price of new ones, because we have been losing our quality teachers to the new schools on account of our inability to offer competitive salaries, ... Consequently, we will have no choice but to begin to close down unviable schools over the next two years."

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 Education profile and contact details

Varkey GEM Foundation

• The Varkey GEM Foundation was founded in 2010 as a not-for-profit (is that the same as "non-profit"?) organisation, with former US President Bill Clinton as Chairman.
• For each student enrolled at a GEMS school, the organization promises to help 100 underprivileged children.

GEMS school general information and updates

10 new GEMS schools in the UAE - 22 Oct 2012

• GEMS Education announced they would open 10 new schools in the UAE from 2012 to 2014. No further details of names, locations, curriculums, fees, opening dates, etc supplied, except a vague statement that the "schools will have British, Indian, International Baccalaureate, American and dual curriculums and will include a range of different fee levels."
• GEMS will also open a Leadership Academy and Teacher Training Center in Dubai, but opening date and location not supplied.

GEMS admitted to World Economic Forum (again?) - 03 Sep 2012

• 02 Sep 2012 (press release) - GEMS Education said they had become a Global Growth Company Partner (GGC Partner) of the World Economic Forum (WEF). They said they were the first UAE organisation to do so, and the first K-12 education provider to do so. But they're probably not the first company to blow their own trumpet. The founder and chairman, Sunny Varkey, said "We are incredibly proud and honoured to become a Global Growth Company 'Partner' as part of the World Economic Forum." It's not clear what the difference is between this announcement, and the one a couple of years earlier when GEMS also said they had just become a GGC Partner of the WEF.

GEMS Chairman named as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

• 26 April 2012 (press release) - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Sunny Varkey, Chairman of GEMS Education, as a Goodwill Ambassador for Education Partnerships. He was recognized for "his contribution to forging innovative public-private partnerships to ensure that underprivileged children across the world receive a good quality education"

GEMS IPO and GEMS school in Kenya

• GEMS announced they would build a school in Kenya in association with Mena Link Holdings (press release 28 March 2011).
• Other news reports said that GEMS might consider going public with an Initial Public Offering to fund their expansion plans. Arabian Business quoted Dino Varkey, the senior director for business operations at GEMS as saying "The ambition that we work towards is five million students by 2024. If we got to the five million number as a conservative [estimate] we would be a $60bn company; we would be employing 450,000 teachers, 55,000 senior leaders - that’s the size of organisation that we are trying to build ... Today we are a private company, at some point in our future [we would IPO] but that’s not a decision that we’ve taken yet. It’s something for the future."

GEMS Education chairman award from UAE Ministry of Education 15 March 2011

• The UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) awarded an award to the GEMS Education Chairman, Sunny Varkey, as part of the MOE Loyalty Day event - the special award is conferred on Mr. Varkey recognizing his contribution and support of the education sector in Dubai and the UAE. The award was presented by H.E. Humaid Al Qutami, UAE Minister of Education (press release 15 March 2011).
• Unknown what the Dubai KHDA had to say about Mr Varkey's contribution and support of the education sector in Dubai, given Mr Varkey's comments criticising the KHDA in 2009, for example "The policies and decisions made by the KHDA are flawed and inconsistent," (03 May 2009 press release).
• But an updated point of view from Mr Varkey upon being presented with the award was "It is because of the Governments vision to establish world class infrastructure, which includes schools within the education sector that companies from all over the world choose to base their Middle East operations in Dubai."

GEMS Schools Saudi Arabia partnership - 20 September 2010 press release

• GEMS Schools has entered into a partnership with Kingdom Schools Company in Saudi Arabia to manage the Kingdom School in Riyadh.

GEMS school teacher salary increases 15 June 2010

• Some GEMS schools were awarded a fee increase in Dubai, despite the KHDA saying in March 2010 that fees for Dubai schools should be frozen for the academic year 2010-2011.
• GEMS said the fees increases were so they could offer higher salaries to keep and attract better teachers. In May 2010, GEMS sent a newsletter out saying This will help us retain our best teachers because we will be in a stronger position to increase their salaries, referring to the increases and teacher's pay packages.
• GEMS teachers disagreed according to a Gulf News report 16 June 2010, with some saying the AED 100-250 per month pay increases were mocking their hopes of a better pay structure. Teachers of classes above Grade 10 were reportedly awarded an increase of AED 650 per month.
• One teacher said "I do not understand how the management expects us to accept this increment to our already meagre salary of Dh2,650 to Dh2,900 per month."
• But the GEMS Education communication director, Richard Forbes, said "The principal of the school says that the majority of teachers were very happy with the salary increase," referring to Our Own English High School (although it wasn't clear if he meant the Dubai location or Sharjah location, or both).
• Mr Forbes also stated a few facts: "The facts are that the average teacher's salary at OOEHS has increased by 28 per cent over the past three years. In 2008, teachers received a 20 per cent increase in salary despite there being no fee increase to cover this expense. Not one of the 310 teachers at OOEHS has approached the principal over the past two weeks to complain about the salary increase."

GEMS Education admitted to World Economic Forum - 07 June 2010

• GEMS Education announced in a press release that they had been admitted to the World Economic Forum (WEF) as Global Growth Company (GGC).
• The Chairman of GEMS Education, Mr Sunny Varkey, said "This forum provides us with the opportunity to promote key issues such as; encouraging governments to support the long-term investment and commitment in education by the private sector; to end the traditional divisions between the public and private sector and to create an environment where we work with governments and global partners to design and build a better, joint solution for global education. It should be a solution that is focused on educational quality and driven by the desire to meet communities' needs." Erm, what?

GEMS schools KHDA-DSIB ratings 2009-2010 - 03 May 2010

GEMS announced DSIB school reports for their Dubai schools in a press release:

• Outstanding ranking for GEMS Wellington International School.
• Good rankings for Cambridge International School, Dubai American Academy, GEMS World Academy, GEMS Wellington Primary School, Jumeirah College, Jumeirah Primary School, Royal Dubai School.
• Acceptable rankings for Al Khaleej National School, Westminster School, Winchester School.

GEMS education expansion in India 11 January 2010

• A Varkey Group press release 11 January 2010 had a statement from Sunny Varkey saying that "We plan to own or manage over 100 schools in India over the next few years." Which sounds about the same as what was reported in September 2009.

GEMS school 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 becomes member of the Clinton Global Initiative 10 April 2010

• GEMS Education will become a strategic partner of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) according to an announcement by President Bill Clinton when he visited the GEMS World Academy (press release 10 April 2010). Whatever that means.

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?
• Update: Arabian Business reported 07 September 2008 that GEMS and Edison established School Improvement Partnership (SIP), to manage four Abu Dhabi public schools.
• Other locations being considered include Bahrain, India, Qatar (Doha), UK, USA.
• Project Director of the SIP initiative is Margaret Corcoran.

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 Africa

• See also GEMS schools in South Africa
• Kenya - GEMS International School in Nairobi, Kenya planned by GEMS Education in association with MenaLink Holdings. It will offer a K-12 British/IB curriculum with capacity up to 2,000 students. Opening date not supplied (28 March 2011 press release).
• Project cost about $40-$50 million. Opening date might be September 2012? Possibly up to another 10 schools in Kenya and other locations in Africa under consideration. Dino Varkey quoted by Arabian Business 29 March 2011 as saying "Africa, specifically East Africa, is of critical importance. ... We’ve always had huge ambition for South Africa so there are a number of initiatives that we are pursuing in South Africa, Uganda."

GEMS schools in China

• GEMS World Academy (GWA) in Tianjin, China (GEMS World Academy Tianjin Eco City) - announced 19 October 2010, opening date scheduled for 2011, investment of $18m in a joint venture with Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd (SSTEC). Capacity 2,000 students from preschool to high school, International Baccalaureate (IB) program to be offered (IBPYP, IBMYP, IB Diploma?). School operator of GWA-Tianjin will be a subsidiary of GEMS Education Holdings (PREACH) Pte Ltd in Singapore (press release 19 October 2010).

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
• Bolitho School - Cornwall
• Brabyns Preparatory School - Stockport
• Bury Lawn School - Milton Keynes
• Clevelands Preparatory School - Bolton
• Firwood Manor Preparatory School - Oldham
• GEMS Hampshire School (London)
• 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 school expansion in UK - 02 February 2012

• The Guardian (a UK based newspaper) reported that GEMS Education was planning to open 6 new private day schools in England for 3-18 year old children. Opening dates between 2012 and 2014. Locations not finalised. Fees expected to be from £8,000 - £12,000 (AED 46,000-70,000) per year.

GEMS schools in India

• Bawa Lalvani Public School - Punjab
• Cambridge International School - Batala
• Cambridge International School - Dasuya
• Cambridge International School - Hoshiarpur
• Colonel Public School - Tohana
• GEMS Global Academy - South City, Gurgaon
• GEMS International School - Palam Vihar, Gurgaon
• GEMS NPS International School - Guwahati, Assam
• Genesis International School - Ahmedabad
• Greater Valley School - Greater Noida
• Gurukul International School - Nawalgarh
• 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
• World Heritage School (Junior) - Tohana

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).
• The Kingdom School in Riyadh (Kingdom Schools) - partnership announced 20 September 2010 for GEMS to manage the school.

GEMS schools in South Africa

• GEMS are planning to open schools in South Africa according to a report in The National 23 July 2008

GEMS schools in South Africa

• Gems World Academy in Etoy, near Lausanne? Opening date planned for September 2013, construction started in 2011. Offering IB curriculum? First GEMS school in Switzerland. Website www.gemsworldacademy-etoy.com.

GEMS schools in USA/North America

• Pemberton Valley (proposed, rumoured) / Ravens Crest - possible interest expressed by GEMS back in 2007 to establish a school there. Zoning approvals apparently delaying progress. Update 14 July 2011 in the publication Whistler Question said there was progress on zoning approval but not clear if GEMS Education or another school operator would build something on the site - the Pemberton mayor, Jordan Sturdy, reportedly said "It may be GEMS, but it may be others. ... There are a number of different organizations that have expressed interest in the site."

Last update Monday 19-Nov-2012

Related pages

• Varkey Group - mother company of GEMS Education
• UAE education providers - list of other school groups

Related websites (new window)

• www.gemseducation.com - GEMS Education website
• www.gemseducation.com/MENASA/investors/careers.php - teaching jobs and careers on GEMS Education website
• www.twitter.com/TeacherJobsdxb - GEMS Education teaching jobs notifications on Twitter
• Dubai directory - add your link free

www.dubaifaqs.com/gems-schools.php

Abu Dhabi AUH ABD ADB, Ajman AJM, Al Ain AAN, Dubai DXB, Fujairah FUJ, Ras Al Khaimah RAK, Sharjah SHJ, Umm Al Quwain UAQ information guide

Copyright © www.dubaifaqs.com 2013, Dubai, UAE - United Arab Emirates