Indian education provider to invest $500 mn in UAE

An Indian education group plans to invest $500 million over the next three years in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) education sector.

Amity Education Group will build four new schools, one university campus and 12 nurseries in this Gulf nation that is home to around two million expatriate Indians.

"We are planning to build schools across the UAE. Our commitment to the UAE comes as part of our resolve to build a global network of institutions," Atul Chauhan, president of Amity Education, told the Khaleej Times.

"We are planning to build schools across the UAE. Our commitment to the UAE comes as part of our resolve to build a global network of institutions," he said.

While two of the proposed schools will follow the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum, the rest will follow recommendations by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) of Dubai.

There will be sports facilities in all the campuses.

Work is already under way for a British curriculum and International Baccalaureate school on a plot provided to the group in Abu Dhabi by the Abu Dhabi Education Council.

The new school will cater to students living in Raha beach, Mohammed bin Zayed City and Khalifa City.

"It is the largest school plot given in Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) has been very supportive," Chauhan was quoted as saying.

"There has been immense growth at our institutions in India and we have a presence in 20 cities. Our students can shift from one campus to another, which is a big advantage," he said.