GEMS Education Founder Sunny Varkey on New School Openings in the UAE, Teacher Wellbeing – and Welcome to 1850 Plus New GEMS School Teachers for 2024 – 2025 – and beyond.

GEMS Education welcomes intake of more than 1,850 world class new teachers at annual induction event

• Teachers from 57 nationalities joining GEMS for Academic Year 24-25
• World’s largest education group is expanding to 44 schools in the UAE
• Theme of GEMS Awareness Day is focused on teachers’ wellbeing
• Teacher retention reaching record levels despite increased competition

GEMS Education has welcomed more than 1,850 new teachers from 57 nationalities to its family at its annual GEMS Awareness Day, with two new schools expanding its network to 44 across the UAE.

2024 marks 65 years since the Varkey founding family began the group in Dubai with a small Villa School and a handful of enrolments in 1959. You can learn more about the history of the Varkey Family here.  In 2024, after a journey over three generations, GEMS expects to have more than 140,000 enrolments by the beginning of the new academic term next week, building still further on the might of the largest K-12 private education provider in the world. Teachers have joined GEMS from countries worldwide, but significant numbers are drawn from the UK, India, and Egypt. Some two-thirds of new GEMS teachers are women.

794 Emirati nationals have joined GEMS since the launch of its award-winning Emiratisation programme in late 2022 in support of the UAE government’s strategy.

The 2024-2025 international academic year will see the opening of two new schools:

• GEMS Founders School – Masdar City  (Abu Dhabi)
• GEMS Founders School – Dubai South

The schools have been launched to meet record demand for school places in the UAE – more HERE.

Importantly, teacher retention at GEMS has broken records and is now at the highest level since the Group was founded. 80% of GEMS Education teachers return to GEMS schools for the new academic year, this despite increased competition globally for the best teachers. Investment is ongoing in existing teachers, with three new GEMS Heads of Schools being promoted from within this year.

Pictured: Sunny Varkey, Founder of the GEMS Education Group, welcomes new teachers drawn from around the world at GEMS Awareness Day in Dubai in August 2024

Founder, Mr Sunny Varkey, spoke of the crucial importance of teachers in an ever-challenging, fast-changing world, as well as the values-led culture of the group with wellbeing for students and staff a priority. In February 2024, Mr Varkey personally led the launch of Family First – a global movement recognising every generation of families and their care. Read more about Family First from SchoolsCompared.com here. 

Sunny Varkey said:

“Investing in wellbeing is not just a strategy.

It is a fundamental principle that underpins the long-term success of GEMS Education.

We remain a place where talented people want to join, stay, and ultimately retire with a deep sense of accomplishment and pride.”

Mr Varkey continued:

“However, there is something I have learnt – in the end, everything comes down to one thing: communication.

It is the foundation upon which we build trust.

We must connect with parents, engage with students, and your fellow teachers to understand each other’s needs and share ideas.”

Pictured: Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer, GEMS Education

A passionate Group Chief Executive Officer of GEMS Education, Dino Varkey, continued:

“We exist to secure the future, the future of our eco-system, the future of our planet and the future of humanity.

“We are incredibly privileged that our purpose – to put a quality education within the reach of every student – allows us to do just this.”

Pictured: Dr Saima Rana, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, GEMS Education speaking passionately at GEMS Awareness Day in 2024 on the importance of teachers and the significant investment made in each and every one.

Dr Saima Rana, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, concluded by looking forward:

“We are very proud that so many of our teachers are choosing to make their long-term futures with GEMS Education based on the professional development, wellbeing support system, and matchless career opportunities with us.

“This year alone, three new heads were appointed from within including the principals of our two new Founders schools in Dubai South and Masdar City. We are all really looking forward now to welcoming our record intake of students for an exciting school year ahead next week.”

The new intake of teachers spans the full range of year groups from Kindergarten and Foundation Stage to Post-16, and covers British, IB, US and Indian curricula.

© SchoolsCompared.com. A WhichMedia Group publication. 2024 – 2025. All rights reserved.