keyboard_arrow_down 67 Years of Shaping Leaders.
World-Class Private K-12 Education, Since 1959

Welcome Message from Our Chairman We prepare young people to thrive in a fast-changing world by focusing on holistic development, combining academic excellence with wellbeing, character, and personal growth.

Through innovation, including responsible use of AI and digital tools, we empower teachers to deliver more personalised and impactful learning experiences.

Sunny Varkey,
Founder, GEMS Education READ MORE

Today, GEMS Education is one of the world’s largest K–12 education providers.

Our students progress to leading universities worldwide, including Ivy League, Oxbridge, and top institutions across Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond.

With a wide range of curricula and pathways, we help every student discover their strengths and shape their own future.

Supported by expert educators and a strong global community, GEMS continues to deliver education that prepares students not just for school, but for life. VIEW ALL GEMS SCHOOLS location_on location_on location_on location_on location_on location_on location_on location_on location_on

GEMS in numbers Educators & Staff
18,000 Schools Globally 50+ 200,000+
Students Globally

Outstanding
Results GEMS students consistently achieve outstanding results across multiple pathways, outperforming UAE and global benchmarks. These achievements reflect strong teaching, ambitious learners, and a powerful partnership between school and home. 62% of our Dubai schools are rated Very Good or Outstanding by KHDA 71% of our Abu Dhabi schools are rated Very Good by ADEK 59% of our British curriculum schools are rated as Very Good or Outstanding

Four Core Curricula SCHOOLS BY CURRICULUM BRITISH IB AMERICAN INDIAN school

1,000+ $201 University Pathways GEMS students consistently secure places at leading universities worldwide, including top institutions across the UK, US, Europe, and beyond. These outcomes reflect strong academic foundations and the confidence to succeed on a global stage. 1/4 GEMS students enrol in a World's Top 200 University Russell Group enrolments - and counting
million in university scholarships secured worldwide.

Early transport services K.S. Varkey and Mariamma Varkey Early Classroom GEMS Our Own English High School Sunny Varkey speaking with students A Legacy That Began with a Promise Our story began in 1959, when KS and Mariamma Varkey left Kerala, India for the UAE in search of opportunity.

Starting with a small classroom in their home, they responded to a growing need for quality English-language education in Dubai.

In 1968, they opened Our Own English High School, Dubai, laying the foundation for what would become a global education network.

By 1980, their son Sunny Varkey expanded this vision, growing GEMS across the UAE and beyond.

A Legacy That Began with a Promise 1959 K.S. Varkey and Mariamma Varkey, both teachers from Kerala, India, leave in search of a better life in Dubai, taking the first steps towards a new education dynasty.

1968 From a School to a System of Possibility 1968 GEMS Education opens its first international school, Jumeirah College, in Dubai. 1959 1980 From a School to a System of Possibility 1980 With a visionary’s touch, Sunny Varkey expands his parents’ mission, leading GEMS into a new era of education and opening schools that will inspire generations. 1968 1988 The Measure of a Legacy Is Not Scale, But Impact 1988 GEMS Education opens The Cambridge High School - Abu Dhabi, its first school outside Dubai, marking the beginning of GEMS' expansion across the UAE. 1980 1997 From a School to a System of Possibility 1997 GEMS Education opens its first international school, Jumeirah College, in Dubai. 1988 2000 From a School to a System of Possibility 2000 The Varkey Group is formed to oversee the overseas operations of GEMS Education. 1997 2003 From a School to a System of Possibility 2003 GEMS Education begins its international expansion into the United Kingdom with the opening and acquisition of schools in England. 2000 2004 From a School to a System of Possibility 2004 GEMS Education expands into India, marking a major step in its international growth strategy across Asia. 2003 2007 From a School to a System of Possibility 2007 GEMS World Academy Dubai opens as the group’s flagship school. 2004 2008 From a School to a System of Possibility 2008 GEMS World Academy Dubai welcomes its first students, setting a new benchmark for premium international education in the region, and earning it’s status as the group’s flagship school. 2007 2010 From a School to a System of Possibility 2010 The Varkey Foundation is established and officially launched to promote education philanthropy worldwide and facilitate access to quality education globally. In the same year, GEMS Education is named a World Economic Forum ‘Global Growth Company’.

2008 2014 From a School to a System of Possibility 1980 With a visionary’s touch, Sunny Varkey expands his parents’ mission, leading GEMS into a new era of education and opening schools that will inspire generations. 1968 1988

GEMS Rewards GEMS Rewards is an exclusive rewards programme for students, parents and staff, offering discounts across hundreds of brands and the opportunity to earn points that can be used towards school-related and family expenses. It is designed to extend value beyond the classroom and support the wider GEMS community.
READ MORE Ambassador Programme The GEMS Ambassador Programme enables families to refer new students to participating schools through the GEMS Rewards or GEMS Connect apps. It is designed to recognise and reward advocacy within the GEMS community while helping more families discover the right school for their child. READ MORE Family First Family First is a global movement launched by GEMS in 2024 to celebrate the importance of family in a child’s educational journey and to strengthen intergenerational connection through learning, love and shared stories. GEMS announced that all 45 schools in the UAE and Qatar would offer family-focused classroom projects READ MORE

GEMS Education is one of the oldest and largest private education providers in the world, offering Kindergarten to Grade 12 / Year 13 education.

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