Overview of the K-12 Education Sector in KSA with a Focus on Riyadh – Unlimited Growth Opportunities

Saudi Arabia continues to provide abundant opportunities for education developers / investors / operators seeking growth in the Kingdom. The Saudi government continues to focus on strengthening its education base for citizens, in line with its Human Capability Development Program under Vision 2030. The Kingdom has the largest school-age population in the GCC region, with almost 7.5 million school age children and a total of almost 6 million enrolled students — 85% in the public sector and just 15% enrolled in the private sector. Of a total 35,400 schools, 79% are public sector and just 21% in the private sector, offering ample growth opportunities in the private sector.

In 2022, the government spent USD 53.7 billion on the education sector which is the highest allocation in the GCC region. Following the implementation of the Vision 2030 initiative, the K-12 education landscape is undergoing a transformation to ensure quality education for all and encouraging lifelong learning prospects. Some of the key factors driving demand for private K-12 education in KSA, include increasing incomes, changing demographic profiles, steady population growth, favourable regulatory environment and government focuses to strengthen the education base for citizens and expatriates. 

Colliers’ report on “K-12 Education in KSA with a Focus on Riyadh – Unlimited Growth Opportunities”, highlights the current and projected scenario of the K-12 education market in KSA by 2030 and an estimate of the additional seats and schools that will be required by then. The report also highlights market opportunities from the perspective of investors, developers and school operators.