Aldar plans to boost education portfolio with Dhs1b investment

Aldar Properties (Aldar) has announced plans to invest Dhs1 billion into Aldar Education, its wholly owned subsidiary, and the largest premium school operator in Abu Dhabi.

With 80 per cent of the investment already committed and planned for deployment over the next three years, Aldar will diversify its education portfolio and expand its offering to widen the choice of quality education for students in Abu Dhabi.

Aldar Education currently owns 9 schools under Aldar Academies and Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and manages a further 11 schools. Through this investment, Aldar aims to increase the existing student capacity in Aldar Education’s owned and managed schools to over 40,000 seats by Academic Year 24/25. Aldar Education is looking to achieve this through a mix of greenfield and school acquisition opportunities in the premium and mid-market segments, all aimed at strengthening the choice and educational experience available to students in Abu Dhabi.

Commenting on the announcement, Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Properties, said, “Through the breadth and depth of our business, Aldar touches multiple aspects of life in Abu Dhabi, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we are making a positive impact on all communities in which we operate. In this regard, Aldar Education is one of our most critical touch points with the community and we want to ensure that more families can benefit from the quality, innovative education we offer in our schools. This latest investment will help us make notable progress in this direction and it also makes financial sense for a business that is of huge strategic importance to the Group.”

Sahar Cooper, Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Education, said, “We are excited about the prospect of this growth plan and the opportunities it will bring to Aldar Education. The education sector is going through constant change and development, and we are keen to remain at the forefront of those developments to provide our students with the best tools available to help them unlock their full potential. This includes the digital transformation of our schools, further investment in EdTech, and the provision of more flexible and diverse education models that appeal to a wider range of families in Abu Dhabi.”

Aldar’s growth plan is focused on enhancing Aldar Education’s offering in three main locations in Abu Dhabi: Khalifa City, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island.

In Khalifa City, Aldar Education has agreed its first-ever school acquisition with the purchase of Al Shohub Private School, a British curriculum school that will enable Aldar Education to offer students an even greater choice of education. The acquisition will see Aldar Education continue to uphold the school’s strong reputation within the market, while adding its expertise to enhance the educational experience for current and future students. Aldar is also expanding and relocating the Al Yasmina Academy in Khalifa City to consolidate its position as an ‘outstanding’ rated British primary and secondary school campus in Abu Dhabi and meet the continued demand for places at the school.

On Yas Island, where Aldar is launching and developing a range of new community developments, Aldar Education will deliver a new school within the Noya community located in Yas North. Set to become a leading British curriculum school, it will be operated by Aldar Academies and cater to the island’s growing population.

On Saadiyat Island, Aldar Education is expanding the award-winning and ‘outstanding’ rated Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which will increase the school’s capacity and facilities as well as ensure it continues to offer a best-in-class educational experience with the latest innovations in immersive learning. Aldar will also develop another school under the Aldar Academies brand on Saadiyat Island that will cater to families in the surrounding communities that seek British curriculum education.

Aldar Properties is the leading real estate developer and manager in the UAE with a diversified and sustainable operating model centred around two core businesses: Aldar Development and Aldar Investment.

Aldar Development is a master developer of integrated, liveable, and thriving communities across Abu Dhabi’s most desirable destinations, including Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Raha, and Reem Island. It is responsible for developing Aldar’s c. 65 million sqm land bank and includes three businesses: Aldar Projects, which manages Aldar’s fee-based development management business, including Dhs45 billion of government housing and infrastructure projects; Aldar Ventures, which incubates and nurtures new business opportunities and innovation areas; and aLDAR Egypt, the platform focused on developing mixed-use communities in Egypt.

WAM