GEMS School Management and Adrak Developers LLC to establish landmark international school in Hai al Naseem, Barka, Oman
Set to open in September 2027, the new school will be GEMS School Management’s first project in Oman, further extending its growing presence across international markets.
DUBAI, UAE: GEMS School Management (GSM), the advisory and operations arm of GEMS Education, and Adrak Developers LLC, a leading real estate development firm in Oman, today announced plans to establish a world-class international school serving families in South Al Batinah, Oman. The partners have signed a term sheet under which GSM will provide pre-operational and operational services. The project marks GSM’s entry into Oman, further strengthening its international growth.
Robert Tarn CBE, CEO of GEMS School Management
Scheduled to open in September 2027, the school will offer an international curriculum from Foundation Stage through to Year 13 and is expected to serve 1,600 pupils by 2035-36. Located in Hai Al Naseem, Barka, the purpose-built school will provide families with access to high-quality education andwill be the educational cornerstone of the Hai Al Naseem community.
Dr. Thomas Alexander, Chairman, Al Adrak Group of Companies
The school is being developed as a community-focused, full-pathway school, combining academic excellence with sports, technology, student wellbeing, and safe transport operations. The campus will feature specialist science, ICT, robotics, and innovation facilities alongside a central library. It will also include dedicated student support and wellbeing spaces, as well as extensive sports and activity facilities, including a football ground, indoor games facilities and multipurpose courts.
The announcement comes as Oman’s private school sector continues to grow, with enrolment increasing from around 116,000 to 169,000 students between the 2018/19 and 2024/25 academic years, reflecting sustained demand for high-quality private education. Barka itself has emerged as one of Oman’s fastest-growing areas, driven by its proximity to Muscat, major infrastructure investment, expanding industrial and logistics activity, and the development of several large master-planned communities.
Robert Tarn CBE, CEO of GEMS School Management, said:
“Education is one of the most powerful investments a country can make in its future, and Oman has placed it at the heart of its long-term ambitions. As Barka grows, so does the opportunity to create a school that gives local families access to an outstanding education close to home.
“By combining GSM’s global educational expertise with Adrak Developers’ vision for Hai Al Naseem and understanding of the local community, we are laying the foundations for a place where young people can thrive and where families and the wider community will benefit for generations to come.”
Dr. Thomas Alexander, Chairman, Al Adrak Group of Companies, said:
“At Al Adrak, our vision for Hai Al Naseem has always extended far beyond a residential development – we are building a vibrant, sustainable community where families can live, learn, and thrive. A world-class school has been at the heart of that vision from the very beginning. We are proud to partner with GEMS School Management to bring internationally recognised schooling to Hai Al Naseem, creating opportunities for future generations, supporting the ambitions of Oman Vision 2040, and further strengthening one of Oman’s most promising communities.”
Under the partnership, GSM will deliver its turnkey ASPIRE model, providing end-to-end support across the development, opening and operation of the school. This will include areas such as school planning, curriculum development, recruitment and staff development, safeguarding, technology integration, operational systems and processes, and stakeholder engagement, bringing GEMS’ more than 65 years of global education expertise to the project.
The agreement further cements GSM’s reputation as a global leader in designing, launching, operating, and transforming world-class schools. Over the past 12 months, GSM has signed sevennew partnerships across seven markets – Zanzibar, Georgia,Jordan, Cyprus, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – marking a year of significant international growth.
To learn more, visit www.gems-sm.com or contact [email protected].
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About the ASPIRE Model
ASPIRE is GEMS School Management’s all-in-one model for designing, opening and elevating schools, bundling six essential pillars into a single, proven package. The six pillars are: All-encompassing end-to-end support; Systems, processes and procedures; Partnerships and stakeholder engagement; Inclusivity and high standards; Recruitment, retention and staff development; and Education excellence.
About GEMS Education
GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading, oldest and largest private K-12 education providers, with a legacy spanning more than 65 years. Founded in the UAE with roots dating back to 1959, and beginning with a single school in a private home in Dubai in 1968, GEMS remains a family-founded and family-led organisation, guided by its visionary Founder and Chairman, Sunny Varkey, and his sons Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer, and Jay Varkey, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer. Today, GEMS educates more than 200,000 students from over 176 nationalities through its global network of owned and managed schools, supported by more than 17,700 employees, including over 9,200 educators and school leaders representing 112 nationalities. Having educated more than 500,000 students over the decades, GEMS continues to provide world-class education through four curricula, preparing young people with the knowledge, character and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Guided by its enduring mission to put a quality education within the reach of every learner, everywhere, GEMS combines academic rigour with character development, wellbeing, innovation and strong partnerships with families and communities. Its graduates progress to the world’s leading universities, with students accepted into more than 2,000 universities across 71 countries over the past five years, including all eight Ivy League universities in the US and all 24 Russell Group universities and colleges in the UK. In the last four years alone, more than 3,500 GEMS graduates have attended the world’s top 100 universities, over 2,200 have progressed to Russell Group universities, almost 2,000 have enrolled at the world’s top 50 universities, and more than 60 have gone on to Ivy League institutions.
Through its expanding network and philanthropic initiatives, GEMS continues to create opportunities for young people to become leaders, innovators and positive changemakers in their communities and beyond.
Media Contact
Ambika Jadeja: [email protected]
About Adrak Developers LLC
From humble beginnings with consistent hard work, dedication and an eye for the future, Al Adrak Developers LLC,the real estate development arm of Al Adrak Group, has been transformed into an award-winning, internationally recognized integrated engineering construction services firm, with Hai Al Naseem serving as its flagship community. Al Adrak prides itself on being a home-grown Omani firm but imbued with an ambition to eventually expand across the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and beyond.
Al Adrak’s forte lies in delivering end-to-end solutions that respond to their customers’ needs, with an integrated, cross-discipline approach which ensures that their clients benefit not only from the services they provide to them, but also from the full range of their expertise. They bring to the table unmatched competencies in civil, mechanical, electrical and infrastructural engineering, backed by top-flight EPC and project management support.
But, more than Al Adrak’s extensive portfolio, what truly sets them apart from their competition is their people. Their dedication to providing world-class service to their clients, capacity for innovation and problem solving, and unwavering commitment to improving the construction industry they serve, not only make Al Adrak a great place to work, but a company with which their clients want to work.
As one of Oman’s most established contractors, Al Adrak’s vision is rooted in a desire to partner alongside the government of His Majesty the Sultan in developing the nation’s infrastructure and driving its modernization. Central to this vision is also their commitment to providing rewarding careers to young Omani men and women drawn especially from the communities and locations in which they operate. By working hand in hand with the government authorities, Al Adrak’s goal is to help crystallise the developmental aspirations of Oman for the ultimate benefit of its people.
Learn more at www.aladrak.com