Unlocking the Saudi Schools Market: 3 Challenges & 3 Opportunities for EdTech and Education Businesses
Planning to expand your education business into Saudi schools, or other GCC markets? Many leaders in edtech (education technology) and educational resource providers see the region's schools as having big budgets and international curriculum alignment. However, the excitement around this dynamic landscape - driven by the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 education reforms - masks unique market complexities.
This article cuts through the hype to reveal critical challenges and key opportunities for education businesses committed to supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's transformative vision for the future of learning. It builds on a panel discussion and breakfast briefing at GESS Saudi Arabia and uses quotes from the GESS Talks webinar Exploring opportunities in the K-12 Sector in Saudi Arabia and GCC Region.
AI-generated image of a classroom in Saudia Arabia, where tradition meets technology.
Saudi Vision 2030
The aims of Vision 2030 are intrinsically linked to the purpose of schools — empowering young people to become thriving citizens. Vision 2030 represents a shift to equipping all citizens with the skills to pursue diverse passions, not just a privileged few.
Saudi's Human Capability Development Plan,
“encompasses every stage of learning, from early childhood education to lifelong learning… creating a pathway for individuals to reach their full potential... involving collaboration between government entities, the private sector and non-profit organizations to ensure the success of our citizens.”
This is a dynamic education landscape: private and public, established and new, mainstream and specialist. All sectors are contributing to an ambitious future for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) through personalised, lifelong learning which empowers all citizens, inclusively.
Saudi Vision 2030 Pillars in Brief:
A Vibrant Society honours Saudi culture and heritage by preparing citizens to flourish in international business environments without losing their cultural and national identity. “[W]e commit to promoting and revitalizing social development by strengthening our families, providing character-building education, and establishing empowering health and social care systems.” Education is at the core, valued for its capacity to empower citizens to thrive.
A Thriving Economy navigates the challenging waters of attracting international companies and professionals alongside equipping young people for emerging opportunities. You may have heard of ‘Saudization’ increasing employment of Saudi nationals, including in the Education sector, actively ensuring local people are included and uplifted with increases in economic prosperity.
An Ambitious Nation asks that all stakeholders: citizens, private and non-profit organisations inclusively, help shape the Kingdom’s future. Government aims to become increasingly transparent and efficient through digitalisation, and is notably open to private sector partnerships. As KSA diversifies economically, it needs adaptive and innovative citizens ready to start or contribute to businesses committed to the Kingdom’s Vision for the future.
Before we move on
You must appreciate that KSA is not just Dubai 20 years ago, a commonly-peddled misconception. There are a unique set of challenges and opportunities that the Vision and its associated policies aim to address.
Suppliers who understand and are deeply committed to supporting Saudi Vision 2030, and whose products and services are congruent, will receive a warm welcome in The Kingdom.
3 Challenges for Saudi School Suppliers
1: Cultural Sensitivity
Foremost, recognise the cultural capital valued by families. For example, assuming that students in British Curriculum schools are from British backgrounds might lead to embarrassing faux pas, such as focusing on resources related to Victorian England!
It is unquestionably important that young people are taught the language, politics, geography and history of their own environment. This should be reflected in the content of curriculum resources and edtech.
Although private schools will not necessarily require Arabic language localisation, cultural localisation is essential. Teaching resources are embedded with cultural values in the way they are designed and present content; these should honour Saudi’s rich cultural heritage and national identity (see above: A Vibrant Society).
“It’s about trying to encourage as much challenge and change whilst being culturally sensitive… There’s just another layer of thought and consideration that has to be done when you’re working in Saudi, but it’s a constraint, not a restriction.”
2: Hosting Student Data
Any education business which uses student data will be aware of the regulations and responsibilities in the regions in which they operate, as the penalties for incorrect storage or use can be severe.
However, if you are already operating in other areas of the GCC, you may not have realised that privacy and security requirements differ in Saudi Arabia. This can create unexpected and expensive, or even insurmountable, challenges - if not identified and addressed prior to investing time and resources on market entry.
“Whether it’s around the content, the service, the technology, the safeguarding - there are cultural and regulatory nuances that need to be addressed. A lot of our work is in getting products ready for market to make sure that there are no glitches when they start to sell and start engaging with customers.”
3: Doing Business in Saudi Arabia
It is well-known that international business requires an understanding of local customs and business etiquette and that across the GCC region, relationships are key to successful and efficient business operations. With competition for education leaders’ attention at an all-time high, it is not sufficient to just invest in developing the best product or service. Cultivating strong relationships with school leaders is crucial, albeit challenging without introductions through the right partner(s).
“the new technology, …can look really good superficially ...but is it really redefining what you’re doing? [Or] is it just a nice toy but it’s not actually going to have an impact, whether that’s on staff well-being and workload and helping you to do your job more effectively, to be able to focus on what’s really important.”
However, school partnerships are often only the first step, particularly if you will need to ship a physical product or resource. Distribution in Saudi Arabia is wrought with complexity transcending import duties and legal regulations. Establishing an ecosystem of local partners offers benefits across various business operations, including supply chain logistics, customer support services and manufacturing. The latter, if brought in country, can be a sustainable and efficient long-term strategy. Moreover, employing people locally, either directly or through on-the-ground partners, supports Saudi’s Vision for a Thriving Economy. In each case, investing in relationships with trusted partners is key.
3 Key Opportunities in KSA for Education Businesses
1: Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
In contrast to many countries, which are experiencing population decline, KSA has a young, growing population and a diverse school market. Public education is free, while private schools offer various international curricula, in addition to specialist SEND, vocational and early years providers. Investments in infrastructure extend schools’ and universities’ capacity, not only for more students, but in the quality of education they receive.
Saudi Vision 2030 determines that every citizen should be able to thrive in pursuit of their passions. Inclusive Saudi education means more than sprinkling buzzwords into marketing messages. There is a need for structures, school policies, processes and human capacity to all support this change.
“SEND is definitely a gap in the market... [but] not a cash cow to be milked, it’s an ethos that should be in every school and should be... accessible to every parent in region.”
At EdV, we see a distinct advantage for companies offering accessibility tools and those with accessibility ‘baked-into’ their products or services, so long as there is alignment with wider priorities and cultural relevance. Likewise, established companies who may have avoided investing in accessible design should reassess this as a priority if considering entry or growth in KSA.
2: Professional Development
Developing a workforce of lifelong learners is a core aim of Saudi Vision 2030, and what better sector to lead the way than Education?
You must, however, be vigilant against thinking that teaching or leadership experience in your home country qualifies you as a global expert. Flying in to bestow wisdom without recognising that there are already excellent practitioners and thought leaders in Saudi schools just won’t fly! Self-sufficiency is a theme evident throughout Saudi Vision 2030 policy documentation. An approach that is respectful and cognizant of the impressive existing knowledge base is recommended.
EdV insights indicate that training providers who aim to build human capacity from within, for example through local partnerships, increase their likelihood of success. Some areas are in particular demand now, in line with the Vision’s focus on innovation. Training teachers in STE(A)M and AI teaching are two such areas many private schools are looking to develop. This aligns with a recently announced initiative – SAMAI, training 1M “citizens of all ages and professional backgrounds” in AI.
3: Local Language and Curriculum Requirements
All Saudi schools are required by law to teach Arabic, Islamic Studies and Social Studies, therefore businesses building or adapting products to teach these subjects in innovative ways can realise a competitive advantage. A willingness to engage at this level demonstrates a commitment and investment in the region, underscored by the openness to private partnerships in the Vision.
“We offer the full Ministry of Education [curriculum] because over half of our children are Saudi Arabian. So we need to have really [high] quality resources that deliver that curriculum… companies and apps and developers that can bring in things that sit around that, would also be a really exciting area to explore.”
The EdV team sees a need for products and services that support and enhance the teaching of Arabic language, plus a particular gap for innovative uses of technologies such as VR, AR and AI in the teaching of Social Studies. Additionally, we predict that emerging education policies across the GCC will require even more high-quality localisation of educational content, platforms and support.
Conclusion
The Saudi schools market is a complex but rewarding business environment for educational suppliers open to adapting their products and responding to evolving school needs. Education businesses should recognise the level of commitment required, respect the cultural dynamics and see themselves as active contributors shaping the Kingdom’s future.
Suppliers of edtech and educational products have an opportunity to contribute at this pivotal time in KSA’s history. Alongside new innovations, we see high potential for established businesses to adapt proven products and services to the region’s unique education landscapes and national Visions.
Next Steps
We suggest asking yourself these three questions:
How does your product support the realisation of the national Vision?
Where and to whom will you take it?
How will you demonstrate your sustained commitment to the region?
The challenges are answering these questions. The opportunities are about making them happen, and the partnerships needed to get there.
Interested in our help? Use the form to get in touch.
