Education

Bahrain’s education sector benefits from regionally strong and improving student outcomes, rising K-12 and private school enrolment, and an expansive, ongoing reform agenda aimed at improving the quality of teaching and infrastructure across all levels. Investment in the sector is set to soar over the medium term, bolstered by the high-potential pre-school and kindergarten segments, as well as rising demand for private primary and secondary instruction. Nevertheless, the sector faces flat public spending, a strained public university system, worsening gender disparity at the K-12 level, and a mismatch between post-secondary preferences and labour market needs. Still, education foundations remain solid, with expanded inspection programmes and a potential resurgence of expatriate students expected to support a steady near- and mid-term growth outlook. This chapter contains an interview with Jeff Zabudsky, CEO, Bahrain Polytechnic.