Oman Education Market Outlook to 2035

The report titled “Oman Education Market Outlook to 2035 – By Education Level, By Institution Type, By Curriculum & Delivery Model, By Ownership, and By Region” provides a comprehensive analysis of the education sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The report covers an overview and genesis of the market, overall market size in terms of value, detailed market segmentation; trends and developments, regulatory and policy landscape, student- and parent-level demand profiling, key issues and challenges, and the competitive landscape including competition scenario, cross-comparison, opportunities and bottlenecks, and profiling of major public and private education providers operating in Oman. The report concludes with future market projections based on demographic trends, national human capital development priorities, education sector reforms under Vision 2040, private sector participation, digital learning adoption, and cause-and-effect relationships highlighting the major opportunities and risks shaping the Oman education market through 2035.

Oman Education Market Overview and Size

The Oman education market is valued at approximately ~USD ~ billion, representing the provision of formal and supplementary education services across early childhood, K–12 schooling, higher education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and continuing/adult education. The market encompasses public and private schools, colleges, universities, training institutes, and digital education platforms delivering instruction through classroom-based, blended, and fully online models.

The market is anchored by Oman’s young and growing population, sustained government investment in public education infrastructure, and increasing emphasis on workforce readiness and skills development aligned with national diversification objectives. Education plays a central role in Oman’s long-term economic strategy, with policy focus on improving learning outcomes, expanding private sector participation, strengthening STEM and technical education, and aligning curricula with labor market needs. Rising household incomes, urbanization, and growing exposure to international curricula have further increased demand for private schooling and overseas-affiliated higher education institutions.

Muscat represents the largest education demand center in Oman, driven by population concentration, higher income levels, and the presence of premium private schools and universities. Other regions such as Al Batinah North and South, Dhofar, and Ad Dakhiliyah show steady demand growth supported by population expansion, regional development initiatives, and government efforts to improve access to quality education outside the capital. While public education dominates enrollment volumes nationwide, private education continues to gain share in urban and semi-urban centers, particularly in early childhood education, international K–12 schools, and specialized higher education programs.

What Factors are Leading to the Growth of the Oman Education Market:

Demographic structure and sustained enrollment growth support long-term demand: Oman’s relatively young population profile ensures a stable pipeline of students across pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary education levels. Continuous enrollment growth in early education and K–12 schooling creates downstream demand for higher education and vocational training. Government commitment to universal access to basic education further underpins baseline demand, while quality differentiation drives growth in private and international education segments.

Education reform and Vision 2040 priorities strengthen market expansion: Under Oman Vision 2040, education is positioned as a foundational pillar for economic diversification and productivity enhancement. Policy initiatives focus on improving teaching quality, curriculum modernization, digital integration, and stronger alignment between education outcomes and labor market requirements. These reforms are driving investments in teacher training, assessment systems, infrastructure upgrades, and new program development across public and private institutions, supporting market expansion in both value and service depth.

Rising private sector participation and international curricula adoption increase value per student: Private education providers are playing an increasingly important role, particularly in early childhood education, international K–12 schools, and specialized higher education. Demand for British, American, IB, Indian, and bilingual curricula is rising among expatriate families and higher-income Omani households seeking global exposure and university pathways abroad. This shift increases average spending per student and encourages further private investment in premium facilities, learning technologies, and differentiated academic offerings.

Which Industry Challenges Have Impacted the Growth of the Oman Education Market:

Teacher availability, qualification gaps, and localization requirements impact service quality and scalability: While Oman has made sustained investments in education infrastructure, the availability of qualified teachers—particularly for STEM subjects, special education, and international curricula—remains a structural challenge. Private schools and higher education institutions often rely on expatriate faculty to meet quality and accreditation requirements, which exposes providers to visa policies, localization mandates, and rising employment costs. For public institutions, aligning teacher skills with curriculum reforms and digital learning requirements requires continuous training and reskilling, adding to operational complexity. These constraints can affect consistency in learning outcomes, limit rapid capacity expansion, and increase cost pressures across both public and private segments.

Affordability pressures and fee sensitivity constrain private education expansion beyond urban centers: Household affordability remains a critical factor shaping enrollment decisions, particularly outside Muscat and major urban clusters. While demand for private and international education is growing, tuition fees for premium schools and private universities remain out of reach for a significant share of the population. Fee caps, regulatory oversight, and sensitivity to education-related household spending limit pricing flexibility for private providers. As a result, many private institutions face challenges in achieving scale in secondary cities and regions, slowing geographic expansion and reinforcing demand concentration in higher-income urban areas.

Alignment gaps between education outcomes and labor market requirements reduce perceived ROI of higher education: Despite rising enrollment in higher education, employers continue to highlight gaps in job readiness, practical skills, and applied competencies among graduates. This perception affects student confidence in traditional academic pathways and increases scrutiny on program relevance, placement outcomes, and employability metrics. Universities and colleges face pressure to redesign curricula, strengthen industry partnerships, and expand internship and apprenticeship models, which require time, investment, and regulatory coordination. Delays in closing these alignment gaps can constrain enrollment growth in certain disciplines and increase demand volatility across institutions.

What are the Regulations and Initiatives which have Governed the Market:

National education policies and regulatory oversight governing curriculum standards, licensing, and quality assurance: The education sector in Oman operates under a centralized regulatory framework that governs curriculum standards, institution licensing, faculty qualifications, and quality assurance processes across public and private providers. Regulatory bodies oversee approvals for new schools, universities, academic programs, and fee structures to ensure alignment with national education objectives. While this framework supports system-wide quality and consistency, it can also extend approval timelines and limit rapid innovation, particularly for new delivery models, specialized programs, and foreign-affiliated institutions.

Vision 2040 initiatives driving curriculum modernization, digital integration, and skills alignment: Education reforms under Oman Vision 2040 emphasize improved learning outcomes, digital transformation, and stronger alignment with economic diversification priorities. Initiatives focus on curriculum modernization, integration of technology in classrooms, promotion of STEM and technical education, and strengthening pathways between education and employment. These initiatives shape investment priorities across public and private institutions, encouraging adoption of blended learning, assessment reform, and competency-based education models. However, implementation intensity and outcomes vary by institution type and region.

Private sector participation frameworks and foreign institution collaboration policies shaping market structure: Regulations governing private education providers and foreign partnerships influence how international schools, branch campuses, and joint academic programs operate in Oman. Approval processes, ownership structures, governance requirements, and accreditation recognition frameworks determine entry feasibility and operating flexibility for private and international players. While these policies aim to protect quality and national interests, they also shape competitive dynamics by favoring well-capitalized providers with long-term commitments and compliance capabilities, thereby influencing consolidation and market maturity over time.

Oman Education Market Segmentation

By Education Level: The K–12 education segment holds dominance in the Oman education market. This is because basic and secondary education accounts for the largest share of total student enrollments and is supported by compulsory education policies, sustained public funding, and steady population inflows into school-age cohorts. Public schools continue to absorb the bulk of enrollments, while private K–12 institutions—particularly international and bilingual schools—are growing in urban centers. Higher education and vocational segments are expanding steadily but remain structurally smaller than the K–12 base due to capacity controls, selective enrollment, and longer gestation cycles for new institutions.

Early Childhood Education (Pre-School & Kindergarten)  ~15 %
K–12 Education (Primary & Secondary Schools)  ~50 %
Higher Education (Universities & Colleges)  ~25 %
Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET)  ~7 %
Adult & Continuing Education  ~3 %

By Institution Type: Public institutions dominate Oman’s education system by enrollment volume, reflecting the government’s central role in providing accessible education nationwide. However, private institutions are gaining share in value terms, driven by higher tuition fees, international curricula, and specialized program offerings. Private participation is strongest in early childhood education, international K–12 schools, and niche higher education segments such as business, healthcare, and applied sciences.

Public Institutions  ~65 %
Private Institutions  ~35 %

Competitive Landscape in Oman Education Market

The Oman education market exhibits low-to-moderate concentration, characterized by a dominant public education system alongside a fragmented private sector comprising local school groups, international school operators, private universities, and specialized training institutes. Market positioning is influenced by curriculum quality, regulatory compliance, faculty credentials, infrastructure standards, tuition affordability, and reputation for student outcomes. While public institutions dominate volume, private providers compete on differentiation, international accreditation, employability outcomes, and value-added services such as extracurricular programs and digital learning platforms.

Some of the Recent Competitor Trends and Key Information About Competitors Include:

Public Education Institutions: Public schools and universities remain the backbone of Oman’s education system, supported by consistent government funding, nationwide reach, and standardized curricula. Recent trends focus on curriculum reform, digital classroom integration, faculty upskilling, and stronger alignment with national workforce priorities under Vision 2040.

International and Private K–12 School Operators: Private school operators offering British, American, IB, and Indian curricula continue to expand selectively in Muscat and nearby urban clusters. Their competitive positioning is driven by academic outcomes, international accreditation, teacher quality, and university placement records. However, expansion is moderated by fee sensitivity, regulatory approvals, and teacher recruitment constraints.

Private Universities and Colleges: Private higher education institutions are increasingly differentiating through applied programs, industry partnerships, and employability-focused curricula. Institutions offering business, engineering, IT, and healthcare programs are strengthening internship pipelines and professional certifications to improve graduate outcomes and sustain enrollment growth.

Specialized and Vocational Training Providers: TVET and professional training institutions are gaining importance as Oman prioritizes skill localization and workforce readiness. Providers focusing on logistics, tourism, engineering services, and digital skills are aligning offerings with employer demand, though scale remains limited compared to formal academic institutions.

What Lies Ahead for Oman Education Market?

The Oman education market is expected to expand steadily through 2035, supported by sustained government commitment to human capital development, a young population profile, and long-term reforms under Vision 2040. Growth momentum will be reinforced by continued public investment in education infrastructure, gradual expansion of private sector participation, and increasing emphasis on learning outcomes, employability, and skills alignment. As Oman transitions toward a more diversified, knowledge-driven economy, education will remain a strategic priority, underpinning workforce readiness, productivity enhancement, and social development across regions.

Shift Toward Outcome-Oriented and Skills-Aligned Education Models: The future of the Oman education market will see a gradual shift from enrollment-led expansion toward outcome-driven education delivery. Greater emphasis will be placed on measurable learning outcomes, graduate employability, and alignment with labor market requirements. Schools, universities, and training institutes will increasingly integrate competency-based curricula, applied learning modules, internships, and industry-linked programs. Institutions that demonstrate strong placement outcomes, industry relevance, and skills certification will gain competitive advantage, particularly in higher education and vocational segments.

Expansion of Private and International Education with Controlled Regulatory Oversight: Private education providers—especially international K–12 schools and specialized higher education institutions—are expected to grow steadily, primarily in Muscat and select urban centers. Demand for British, American, IB, and bilingual curricula will continue to rise among expatriate families and higher-income Omani households. However, growth will remain calibrated by regulatory approvals, fee sensitivity, and localization requirements, favoring well-capitalized operators with strong compliance capabilities and long-term market commitment.

Increased Integration of Digital Learning, Blended Delivery, and Education Technology: Digital transformation will play an increasingly important role across education levels. Blended learning models, digital classrooms, learning management systems, and data-driven student assessment tools will gain wider adoption, particularly in higher education, professional training, and continuing education. While fully online education will remain a complementary segment rather than a substitute for physical institutions, technology-enabled delivery will enhance scalability, improve access in non-urban regions, and support personalized learning pathways.

Growing Importance of Technical, Vocational, and Lifelong Learning Pathways: As Oman prioritizes workforce localization and productivity enhancement, demand for technical and vocational education and professional upskilling will increase. TVET institutions, applied universities, and private training providers focusing on engineering, logistics, tourism, healthcare, IT, and industrial services will benefit from stronger policy support and employer engagement. Lifelong learning, reskilling, and professional certification programs are expected to gain traction as technology adoption and job role evolution reshape workforce requirements.

Oman Education Market Segmentation

By Education Level

• Early Childhood Education (Pre-School & Kindergarten)
• K–12 Education (Primary & Secondary Schools)
• Higher Education (Universities & Colleges)
• Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
• Adult & Continuing Education

By Institution Type

• Public Institutions
• Private Institutions

By Curriculum & Delivery Model

• National Curriculum (Omani Curriculum)
• International Curricula (British, American, IB, Indian, Others)
• Online / Blended & Professional Learning Models

By Ownership

• Government-Owned Institutions
• Private & Semi-Private Institutions
• Foreign-Affiliated / Partnered Institutions

By Region

• Muscat
• Al Batinah (North & South)
• Dhofar
• Ad Dakhiliyah & Other Regions

Players Mentioned in the Report:

• Ministry of Education (Public Schools Network)
• Sultan Qaboos University
• University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS)
• A’Sharqiyah University
• Middle East College
• Modern College of Business & Science (MCBS)
• Indian School Board Oman (ISBO Schools)
• British School Muscat
• Oman Tourism College
• Other private schools, international school operators, universities, and vocational training institutes operating in Oman

Key Target Audience

• Government education authorities and policy makers
• Private school operators and education groups
• Universities, colleges, and vocational training institutes
• International education providers evaluating Oman entry
• Education technology and digital learning solution providers
• Corporate training and professional certification providers
• Workforce development agencies and employers
• Investors and education-focused private equity funds

Time Period:

Historical Period: 2019–2024
Base Year: 2025
Forecast Period: 2025–2035