GCC members spend $150 billion a year on education

ABU DHABI / WAM

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states are spending nearly US$150 billion a year on education, according to figures released by the GCC Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
‘‘There is a need for in-depth study of the challenges facing the delivery of quality education despite the huge funds spent throughout the past decades,’’ the federation’s Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al Naqi said during a press conference while unveiling details of the sixth Gulf Education Conference and Exhibition, to be held in Jeddah on February 22-23 .
With Compound Annual Growth Rate at 1.8 percent, student population in the GCC is projected to reach 11.3 million by 2020. ‘‘Saudi Arabia accounts for 75 percent of the total student population in the GCC due to large population,’’ he noted.
The Gulf Education Conference
and Exhibition addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the education sector in the region, and the future education needs of the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA) Region.
The 2017 edition will focus on driving innovation in education through international and regional input and discussions among participants, and will enable educators and governments to identify clear policies that will benefit the countries’ national workforce.
The conference also helps foreign public and private sector educational institutions seeking greater engagement in the Gulf region.