Company
GEMS Education
GEMS Education
Spear's Review
GEMS Education is the largest international school operator in the world. Founded in 1959, the firm began with humble roots: two teachers, KS and Mariamma Varkey, left Kerala to rebuild their lives in the UAE. In 1968, they opened Our Own English High School in Dubai, which remains one of the oldest schools in the country.
When the couple's son Sunny was handed the reins in 1980, he took the company to new heights opening schools across the UAE, Qatar and Egypt dedicated to providing American, British, IB and Indian curriculums for the expatriate population settling across the region.
In 2025, GEMS Education opened the GEMS School of Research & Innovation. At 47,000 sq ft, it has been dubbed ‘Dubai's most expensive school’ with fees reaching AED206,000 ($56,000).
Key details:
- Founded in: 1962
- Number of schools: 52
- Geographies: UAE, Qatar and Egypt
- CEO: Sunny Varkey
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