The SchoolsCompared.com Interview. ‘Bob Dylan, The Future of Education and Not Trading Away Kindness for Cynicism.’ Dr Saima Rana On The Record.
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“Building Schools in Dubai, Justice and Giving Back”
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SchoolsCompared.com: Can you talk me through the pull of the UAE for families from across the world relocating here. Why are they coming?
Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:
One of things you notice when you come to Dubai is the high profile of schools. They are very visible, and this in itself speaks to the culture of the place which values education highly. On top of that it’s a safe and stable place to bring up a family with wonderful art, culture and facilities and a great place to do business and meet people. Look at the brilliant way Dubai managed the safety of everyone during the recent tragedy of the global pandemic. And it’s a place of innovation, of cutting-edge technologies, of thriving business and modern energies which is also very safe and settled. It’s a world hub for good living. But the schools, and in particular GEMS schools, make it an exceptional place for families. GEMS has been providing education in the UAE for many years and so its provision is based on this enormous experience – both of the UAE and of great educational provision – and there’s no doubt in my mind when I speak to parents that it’s the range of our schools and our success over the years that is a tremendous draw for parents wanting an aspirational, cutting edge, STEM and tech savvy, artistically and culturally deep, broad and balanced educational curriculum fit for the challenges of the 21st century.
Dr Saima Rana’s absolute faith in Sunny Varkey, Founder and Executive Chairman of The GEMS Education Group, founds her conviction that “GEMS will not just be helping the UAE but will be taking a leading role in what happens here in the years to come.”
SchoolsCompared.com: So, we have all these people relocating here, and we already expect Dubai to double in size, so it seems we do not need a few new schools but need hundreds of them. Can you talk me through this? Is GEMS going to help the UAE meet this demand? How?
Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:
There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind about the response from GEMS regarding this exponential increase. Anyone who understands the drive and ambition of our founder, Mr Sunny Varkey, and considers those who have been recruited to ratchet up the scale and impact of the organisation, will know that GEMS is seeing this as an exciting opportunity to expand outstanding education to an ever growing and eager new set of families in the years ahead. GEMS will not just be helping the UAE but will be taking a leading role in what happens here in the years to come. We have a bold plan to expand based on sound business practices and a profound understanding of what makes a great school. We have already begun scaling up our activities so that our policies around recruitment and retention of staff in all aspects of a school are capable of dealing with the expansion. What we are about, of course, is quality and we know that alongside sound and sustainable financial management schools are founded on the excellence of its teaching staff. We have worked busily over the last few years to expand our network for recruiting outstanding teachers internationally. We have first-rank reputation for schools excellence and we are known to be one of the best educational providers and employers on the planet. This will continue as we continue to innovate and expand. What is very important to me and Mr Varkey and everyone leading this project is that what we offer is first class. We know that it is the quality of the product – in this case the education our schools provide to those new incoming families as well as to our already existing ex-pat families – is the cornerstone to our great reputation. Year by year, our reputation grows as our successes grow. I know that so long as we continue building on these firm foundations then there is no limit to what we can do in the UAE – and elsewhere.
SchoolsCompared.com: So, if you were deciding which new schools to prioritise being built, what would they be? Why?
Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:
One of the signature elements of GEMS is that it caters for a wide variety of families. We have a wide mix of curricula in our schools and a range of pay points so that all families can afford to join. Clearly, what we need to do is continue to assess the needs of different incoming families and the affordability of the schools we start up so that we maximise the fit between what we offer and what is required. This breadth and flex is a strength of our organisation. We are not locked into a single model which might not fit everyone. Having said that, fundamentals of a great education can be generalised along the lines I’ve already outlined in my previous answers. Minds, hearts, spirits, and bodies need to be educated in all schools irrespective of the curriculum and the pay point. Extra-curricular activities to supplement the taught, formal curriculum need to be progressive and expansive, free from gender or any other biases to supplement our commitment to holistic, personalised education. And careers advice needs to be aspirational and drawing on a wide network of destination providers so that all our students are given the guidance they need to achieve their dreams. All will be value led organisations with care, justice, cosmopolitanism, and respect at their hearts with strong leaders and outstanding teachers and support staff. These are GEMS non-negotiables and guide every decision we make.
But there is a very important personal priority that also drives me. I have been in schools all my life as either a student or a member of staff and have always wanted to give something back to the communities that have given me so much hope. For this reason, I would want to prioritise ensuring that there are good affordable schools for Emirate families here in the UAE, my new community.
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Thank you Dr Saima Rana
I enjoyed your interview and focus on the empowerment of girls in all fields of education, from the Sciences to the Arts.
You had already laid the foundations of your work in the UAE with your vision of enriching the rights of every child to a fair education in the United Kingdom. I saw first hand how you brought out the full potential of students at Westminster Academy in London, with your hand picked team of staff leaders and the ways you provided countless students with opportunities to study at top universities.
Today, as a result, my daughter is using all her skills, talents and knowledge – these flowing from the support you and your team empowered her with during her time at Westminster Academy.
As she continues her studies at Oxford University, I would like to think that she is representing your vision of equality and fairness of opportunity in education for every child.