Dubai education provider Taaleem Holdings (Taaleem) has acquired the exclusive right to own and operate UK’s Harrow International Schools Limited across the MENA region.
Apart from its home base in the United Arab Emirates, the agreement also allows Taaleem to roll out the popular British boarding school in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait. The agreement is effective from June 2024.
Taaleem’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Williamson, announced this via a filing at Dubai Financial Market (DFM), where the shares of the company are listed following an IPO in November 2022.
In the statement, Williamson said: “These Harrow International Schools will join a distinguished global network of schools that apply the ethos and standards of Harrow School in the United Kingdom, one of the most prestigious schools in the world, and provide an education to match.
“A Harrow education is renowned for its educational excellence, extensive co-curricular programme, and strong emphasis on character development and leadership.”
Taaleem’s school responsibilities
The educational, administrative, financial and other operational responsibilities of the Taaleem Harrow Schools rest solely with Taaleem, they will be required under their sub-licences to reflect Harrow School’s educational purpose, practice, strategy and philosophy, tailored to the needs of students and their locations.
HISL will oversee this requirement through its oversight teams. These teams conduct regular reviews of each Harrow-branded school against carefully articulated Harrow standards, and the schools’ Governing Boards will also include two HISL representatives.
David Eyton, Chairman of the Governors of Harrow School, said: “We are delighted to expand the opportunity for more children to access a Harrow education with Taaleem – a partner who shares our commitment to raising educational standards by focusing on the development of pupils’ talents and passions.
“By establishing world-class schools that offer a premium education based on the Harrow’s values of courage, honour, humility and fellowship, our joint aspiration is to prepare children with diverse backgrounds and abilities for a life of learning, leadership, service and personal fulfilment.”
Khalid Al Tayer, Chairman of Taaleem, added: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Harrow International Schools Limited. This agreement marks a significant milestone for Taaleem as we bring Harrow’s long-standing tradition of excellence to the GCC. We are committed to providing our students with the highest standards of education, fostering an environment where they can thrive both academically and personally.”
Harrow’s legacy and global network
Some of Harrow’s notable alumni include several British Prime Ministers, as well as writers, actors, and other influential figures.
Harrow School was founded in 1572 under a Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I. The boarding school is located in a leafy 300-acre estate, encompassing much of Harrow on the Hill in north-west London. While the UK school is still a single-sex boys’ schools, the international campuses under its name, in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Haikou, Beijing, Bangkok and Appi (Japan) are co-educational, starting from nursery to 18 years of age.
Earlier this year, Taaleem released its first six months results for 2024, recording a strong top-line growth of 15 percent YoY to AED548.7 million and EBITDA growth of 32.5 percent YoY to AED222.3 million. Net profit (before tax) increased by 53 percent YoY to AED182.8 million fuelled by enrolment growth, additional schools, interest gains on cash reserves, and low debt position.
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