MUSCAT : Held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr Abdullah bin Khamis Al-Ambusaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education, the meeting brought together senior officials, decision-makers, and leaders from the private education sector to discuss challenges, opportunities, and future pathways.

Sheikh Al-Qasim bin Mohammed Al-Harthi, Chairman of the Education, Training and Innovation Committee, said the gathering reflected a shared recognition of private education as a fundamental pillar of comprehensive development. He noted that private education has evolved beyond its traditional complementary role to become an active strategic partner in national development, contributing to economic diversification, human capital development, and the readiness of national competencies for a rapidly changing labour market.

Al-Harthi emphasised that the Chamber views investment in private education as a long-term investment in both the national economy and Omani society, given its role in creating quality employment, attracting educational expertise, transferring knowledge, and promoting innovation in curricula and teaching methods, in line with Vision 2040’s focus on human development.

He reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to supporting the private education sector by fostering a stimulating investment environment and strengthening institutional partnerships with the Ministry of Education and other relevant authorities, with the aim of developing regulatory frameworks that balance high-quality educational outcomes with sustainable investment.

The meeting featured three specialised working papers covering the economic and financial added value of private and international schools, recent developments in Oman’s private school education system, and the impact of educational leadership on learning outcomes.

Participants also engaged in extensive discussions on regulatory and legislative challenges, including the balance between quality standards and investment flexibility, the impact of multiple regulatory procedures on expansion, licensing issues for international schools and curricula, and tuition fee regulation to ensure fairness and sustainability. Operational challenges such as teacher retention, attracting qualified educators, digital transformation requirements, and aligning educational outputs with labour market needs were also addressed.

In addition, the meeting highlighted investment opportunities in early childhood education, international schools, global educational partnerships, knowledge transfer, and digital and blended learning, alongside the need to modernise legislation and leverage digitisation to enhance governance and sustainability.

The event was attended by His Excellency Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Rawas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber, along with senior ministry officials and key stakeholders from the private education sector.

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