The Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Committee continued its review of the proposed motion on expanding the scope of public–private partnerships in education, during its sixth regular meeting, in which it hosted specialists from the Education, Training and Innovation Committee at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This meeting was held as part of the Committee’s efforts to deepen dialogue with relevant stakeholders and to solicit private sector perspectives on the current state of educational investment and prospects for its development, in line with the priorities of the upcoming phase.

At the outset of the meeting, the Chairman of the Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Committee welcomed the specialists from the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underscoring the importance of the meeting in strengthening institutional integration between the Council and the private sector. He noted that the Committee attaches particular importance to private and international education as a key component supporting the national education system and as an important contributor to the national economy, in a manner that supports the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. He further emphasized that the current stage requires more flexible and effective partnerships based on the exchange of expertise and integration of roles, serving the interests of students, society, and the State alike.
During the meeting, specialists from the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry delivered a visual presentation addressing the economic and financial added value of private and international schools. The presentation outlined the multiple dimensions of this added value at the academic, social, and economic levels. The specialists explained that private and international schools contribute to improving the quality of education, enhancing students’ readiness for higher education, and developing student skills in line with twenty-first century requirements. They also highlighted the role of these schools in developing human capital, promoting social stability and community service, transferring global educational and technological expertise, and supporting innovation and digital transformation within the education sector in the Sultanate of Oman.
The specialists further noted that the private and international education sector constitutes, in its entirety, a strategic sector that supports the government in fulfilling its educational roles and contributes to easing financial pressures by accommodating increasing numbers of students and providing direct and indirect employment opportunities. In addition, the sector stimulates local and foreign investment in education, thereby enhancing the added value of the national economy.
The presentation also addressed the key challenges facing private and international schools, foremost among them challenges related to national workforce availability and efficiency, rising operational and administrative costs and taxes, regulatory frameworks and fees, declining student enrollment in early education stages, and the absence of effective institutional mechanisms to regulate public–private partnerships. The specialists indicated that these challenges have direct economic implications, including higher tuition fees, reduced financial sustainability for some 


educational institutions, and diminished investor interest in the sector compared to other countries that offer greater incentives and facilitation measures.
Members of the Committee emphasized the importance of phased cooperation between the public and private sectors in education, considering such cooperation a national necessity in light of rapid economic and knowledge-based transformations. They noted that strengthening partnerships would enhance sector efficiency, boost its capacity for innovation, increase its contribution to gross domestic product, and improve educational outcomes while aligning them with labor market needs.
Committee Members also raised a number of inquiries and observations regarding the nature of challenges facing investment in private and international education, mechanisms for addressing them, and the role of policies and legislation in creating an attractive and enabling environment. They stressed the importance of leveraging the outcomes of this meeting in formulating practical recommendations that contribute to sector development and achieving a balance between quality and financial sustainability in the Sultanate of Oman, in line with Oman Vision 2040.
The meeting was held as part of the sixth regular meeting of the Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Committee, chaired by the Chairman of the Committee and attended by Committee Members. The meeting forms part of a series of engagements conducted by the Committee with relevant stakeholders during its review of the proposed motion, aimed at supporting the partnership approach and reinforcing the role of education as a driver of economic and social development in the Sultanate of Oman.