Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has announced plans to add nearly 18,000 affordable seats to the emirate's private education sector over the next two academic years, responding to continued growth in demand for private schooling. Private school enrolment in Dubai climbed to 406,563 students this academic year, up from 388,731 in June, a rise of roughly 4.6 per cent.
The regulator said 26 new educational institutions opened in Dubai during the current academic year alone, comprising seven schools, 17 early-years centres and two higher-education institutions. The new schools alone contributed nearly 17,000 additional seats, while the early-childhood centres added more than 1,700 places.
KHDA Director General Aisha Miran said the expansion reflects the goals of Dubai's Education 33 strategy, which sets out the authority's roadmap for the emirate's education system through 2033, with widening access to affordable schooling identified as one of its central priorities.
The authority noted that 51 new private institutions have opened in Dubai over the past two academic years, while 11 new higher-education institutions have launched in the past three years, with enrolment at those institutions growing by around 29 per cent over the same period.
Officials framed the figures as evidence that Dubai continues to attract both new residents and returning families who choose the emirate specifically for its education offering, and said the affordable-seats expansion is intended to keep pace with that demand rather than let waiting lists grow in lower-cost school bands.