You know you have created a global education firm when you offer six different curricula in 250 schools across 13 countries. GEMS is a household name in the UAE, where it operates 44 schools, dominating the private education landscape.
Education is in GEMS founder Sunny Varkey’s blood. His parents were both teachers who travelled to Dubai in 1959 seeking a better life. It would be 21 years before Sunny opened his first school in the emirate but so began the most successful private education company in the region.
In keeping with the family theme, Sunny’s sons Dino and Jay now lead the daily operations.
GEMS is currently pushing a huge expansion programme in India and South East Asia, using a new off-site construction model that cuts down the build time by as much as three-quarters. The cheaper building model is helping its Dream India programme, which provides more affordable education to students in India. It is building its first school in Kerala, Gems Modern Academy in SmartCity Kochi.
These days, Varkey dedicates much of his time to the Varkey GEMS Foundation, his philanthropic trust that offers the annual $1m Global Teacher Prize and last week convened the annual Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai.
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