GEMS Education teachers are expanding across the UAE network, with 1,550 new educators joining for 2026/27 as Group CEO Dino Varkey says education must keep pace with the country’s ambition.
DUBAI: GEMS Education has welcomed 1,550 new educators for the 2026/27 academic year, taking its teaching community to more than 10,000 across its network as the organisation looks to ensure education keeps pace with the UAE’s wider ambition.
The arrival of the new GEMS Education teachers represents a significant expansion of the group’s workforce and comes as Dino Varkey, Group CEO of GEMS Education, highlights the importance of an education system that evolves alongside the UAE’s rapid development.
Varkey’s message that “education keeps pace with the ambition” reflects a wider focus at GEMS on preparing students for a changing world while continuing to invest in the educators responsible for delivering that transformation.
The new teachers were welcomed at GEMS Awareness Day 2026, the organisation’s annual gathering for incoming educators, school leaders and senior leadership. This year’s event centred on the theme Family First, reinforcing the importance of relationships between schools, students and parents.
The cohort was recruited through GEMS’ global talent network and joins a workforce representing more than 112 nationalities. The organisation says it receives more than 500,000 job applications annually, giving it access to educators from the UAE and international markets.
Investment in GEMS Education teachers also extends to career development. More than 40% of principal appointments during the past 12 months have been internal, while more than 3,000 employees have worked with the organisation for over a decade.
Sunny Varkey, Founder and Chairman of GEMS Education, said: “Buildings and technology matter, but teachers remain the greatest investment we can make. When we invest in outstanding educators, we invest directly in every child’s potential and in developing the confident, capable and compassionate leaders our world will need.”
GEMS is also developing local education talent through initiatives including its Emirati Teacher Assistant Upskilling Programme, which has trained more than 330 Emiratis.
For students, the 2026/27 academic year will bring a continued focus on academic rigour alongside artificial intelligence-enabled learning, technology, character, wellbeing and real-world preparation.
GEMS has secured around 95% of its targeted student places for the new academic year through registrations and re-enrolments.
The addition of 1,550 GEMS Education teachers therefore goes beyond recruitment. It supports a wider strategy to develop talent, strengthen relationships with families and ensure schools evolve alongside the UAE’s ambitions for its next generation.
Impact to expect
The expanded teaching workforce could strengthen classroom capacity while supporting GEMS Education’s push towards AI-enabled, future-ready learning. Linking education more closely with the UAE’s wider ambitions could also increase emphasis on skills, technology and real-world preparation for students.
