Oman to hire 4,000 teachers in 2025/2026
Dr Madiha highlighted the continued growth of the education sector, driven by government support and Royal Directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. The number of students in government schools increased from 678,000 in the 2020/2021 academic year to 817,000 in 2024/2025, marking a 20.5% growth. The number of schools is also set to rise, reaching 1,306 in 2025/2026, compared to 1,182 in 2020/2021, reflecting a 10.4% increase.
The ministry has expanded teacher recruitment, appointing 15,000 Omani teachers in the first four years of the 10th Five-Year Plan, compared to 6,800 during the ninth plan. An additional 4,000 teachers – primarily Omanis – are expected to join in 2025/2026, taking the total number of teachers appointed under the current plan to over 19,000.
The number of private and international schools, including kindergartens, increased to 1,223 in the 2024/2025 academic year from 880 in 2019/2020 – up 39%. Student enrolment in private schools has also grown from 189,000 in 2019/2020 to 233,000 in 2024/2025, including 96,000 in pre-school education.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Muscat Daily
6 hours ago
- Muscat Daily
Omani experts urge to anchor social media use in cultural identity
Muscat – Social media has become a powerful force shaping public opinion, cultural awareness and personal identity. Experts in Oman are calling for a collective responsibility to ensure that digital behaviour reflects the country's values and national character. Dr Sabra bint Saif al Harrasi, academic and educational researcher, said that Omani identity is deeply rooted in a legacy of character and tolerance. 'Whenever the Sultanate of Oman is mentioned, morals come before borders, and character before name,' she said. Quoting a saying attributed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), she noted that Omanis have long been known for their noble conduct and refined speech. Dr Sabra warned that as digital platforms shape taste and behaviour, preserving cultural identity online has become essential. 'This is not only an educational need but a pillar of cultural security. The content we produce should reflect our heritage and values,' she said. She stressed that the role of the family remains central. 'There is no digital upbringing without an active family presence. Children learn more from what is practiced at home than what is preached.' She emphasised the need for conversations over commands, and role models who live the values they promote. On content creation, Dr Sabra said children should be encouraged to be producers, not just passive consumers. 'When they create, they become more cautious about what they receive.' She called for digital libraries at home and meaningful content archives to shape their preferences. Dr Amal bint Talib al Jahouri, a researcher in media and cultural affairs, said social media's impact on identity is double-edged. 'It can be a tool to spread pride in national culture or a challenge due to the overlap of global influences,' she said. She noted that traditional and modern media, guided by Oman Vision 2040, have a responsibility to deliver content that strengthens national identity and educates youth on cultural values. 'Media must counter misinformation by providing reliable information and reinforcing cultural identity in interactive ways.' She recommended creating spaces for dialogue between generations and empowering youth to lead digital content creation that reflects Omani values. Qut al Qulub bint Azzan al Hussaini, a social media activist, believes digital influence carries a responsibility. 'Anyone active on these platforms should be an ambassador of our identity. Influence is not a privilege – it's a moral obligation,' she said. She called for a professional environment to support content creators and emphasised that quality should never be compromised for views. 'We must simplify ideas without diluting their meaning, and connect the younger generation to local and global issues through values-driven content.' As Oman continues to navigate the digital age, the consensus among experts is clear: Preserving identity online is a shared duty, starting at home and extending through schools, media, and digital platforms.
Observer
7 hours ago
- Observer
Ministry of Labour hosts Salalah's business leaders
SALALAH: The Ministry of Labour (MoL) hosted a meeting of Dhofar Governorate's business leaders at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah on Wednesday. The forum, held with the participation of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, focused on labour market challenges. Addressing the event, Dr Mahad bin Said Baowain, Minister of Labour, pointed to the current efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Labour to enhance the development of labour market tools. He highlighted the support extended to private sector institutions and the facilities available to establishments. He also referred to the Labour Law and the regulations governing the labour market, which aim to ensure stability and keep pace with the progress witnessed in the global market. Dr Baowain explained during the meeting — held as part of the activities of the Labour Forum 2025 — that the current circumstances call for accelerating the pace of work. This is due to the challenges and tremendous advancements taking place, which serve the interests of the markets and support human resources. He emphasised that human capital is the true driver of development and progress. In this context, he pointed to employment initiatives adopted by the Ministry of Labour in genuine partnership with the private sector. The official also stressed the importance of the role of the private sector in Dhofar Governorate, which is growing at a rapid pace, particularly in the tourism field. He noted the governorate's role in strengthening the labour sector and the efforts made by small and medium enterprises and their national workforces in the establishments and companies of the private sector. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of intensifying attention to entrepreneurial projects related to artificial intelligence and innovation, as well as supporting training programmes. The meeting witnessed a discussion of the challenges facing business owners, particularly in the small and medium enterprises sector; and ways to simplify procedures to benefit from the facilities available to them to establish new projects and mechanisms for their development. Omanisation in certain activities, as well as the means of developing the Omani labour market, were also discussed.
Muscat Daily
a day ago
- Muscat Daily
Shura committee calls for resumption of job security benefits
Muscat – The Youth and Human Resources Committee of Majlis A'Shura has called for immediate resumptionof the job security benefit previously extended to laid-off workers, citing significant social and economic repercussions of its suspension. Chaired by Younis al Mandhari, the committee met on Tuesday to examine the impact of freezing the benefit disbursed by Social Protection Fund. Members raised concerns about the worsening living conditions of those affected and emphasised the need to resume the aid to ensure psychological and social stability for impacted individuals and their families. The committee urged relevant authorities to take immediate steps, including empowering governorates and promoting decentralised decision-making in employment and redundancy matters. Members noted that such an approach would facilitate faster, locally-tailored solutions aligned with the specific needs of each governorate. There was strong emphasis on the need to create job opportunities based on qualifications and professional experience of laid-off workers, alongside implementation of requalification and skills development programmes to support their reintegration into the labour market. The committee also called for building a comprehensive and regularly updated database of jobseekers and laid-off individuals to better inform national employment policies and future strategies. Among the proposed measures was amendment or introduction of legislation to improve protection mechanisms for the national workforce. The committee discussed the possibility of allocating dedicated vacancies in government institutions and state-owned enterprises specifically for laid-off workers. In support of national workforce retention, members highlighted the urgency of accelerating Omanisation. They recommended replacing expatriate-held jobs with qualified Omanis and suggested increasing the cost of hiring expatriates in the private sector to encourage employment of citizens. Concluding the session, the committee stressed the need for a holistic and long-term approach to address layoffs, beginning with tackling root causes. This, they said, includes overcoming legal and administrative obstacles and establishing a national action plan to ensure employment stability and social justice for Omani citizens.
