Sharjah private schools prepare for new term with 204,000 pupils and six new campuses

Sharjah: Sharjah’s private education sector is preparing for the start of the new school term on Monday with more than 204,000 pupils enrolled across the system, six new private schools opening and thousands of school buses cleared for operation.

The Sharjah Private Education Authority said the new schools will take the number of licensed private schools in the emirate to 135, broadening capacity and giving families a wider choice of curricula. Three of the new schools offer the Indian curriculum and three follow the American curriculum. 

The expansion extends beyond schools. Seven new nurseries have been licensed for the academic year, bringing the total to 161, while five new licensed early childhood centres have also been introduced. The additions form part of a broader effort to expand education provision for younger children and offer families more options. 

The authority has also carried out 132 field visits to check whether schools meet educational and operational requirements before the start of term. Inspectors reviewed school readiness alongside transport safety, with 2,737 school buses cleared for operation under approved safety standards. 

Staff development has formed another part of the preparations. The authority said 321 training courses were delivered to teaching and administrative staff, focusing on professional development and improving performance across private schools. 

A further 114 Emirati teachers were recruited through the “Proud to Be a Teacher” programme, which seeks to increase the presence of national talent in classrooms and create longer-term professional pathways for Emirati educators. 

Dr Muhadditha Yahya Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority and President of the Sharjah Education Academy, said the authority’s back-to-school campaign, “My School, My Family”, was intended to go beyond a slogan and strengthen the relationship between schools and families. Her official English name and titles are confirmed by Sharjah government and institutional sources. 

She stressed that schools should serve not only as places of learning but also as environments where pupils develop academically, personally and in their values, with parents and educators sharing responsibility for that development. 

The authority has promoted the same message in the days leading up to the new term, encouraging closer cooperation between home and school to support pupils’ learning, wellbeing and ambitions. 

The Aug. 31 start applies to Sharjah private schools following the main September-start calendar. Schools operating Indian and Pakistani academic calendars began their 2026-27 year earlier, with pupils returning on March 30, following a timetable adjustment announced by the authority. 

The distinction means the figure of more than 204,000 represents the wider private education population in Sharjah rather than necessarily the number of pupils physically returning to classrooms for the first time on Monday.