Muscat – School enrolment in Oman rose 3.4% to around 980,000 students during the 2025/26 academic year, while the number of teachers increased 5.5% to about 88,000, pointing to continued expansion across the sultanate’s education system.

The figures were released in the latest Education Statistics 2026 bulletin issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, which tracks developments from early childhood education to higher education.

Oman had 1,816 schools providing school education during the academic year, with government schools accounting for 72% of the total. The average student-teacher ratio was 12 students per teacher, while classroom density improved to 27 students per class, compared to 28 the previous year.

The expansion in school education coincided with improvements in broader educational attainment. The illiteracy rate among the population aged ten and older fell from 2.29% in 2024 to 2.25% in 2025. At the same time, the number of people aged ten and older holding a bachelor’s degree or higher increased 6%.

Expenditure on the education sector accounted for 16.3% of total government expenditure in 2025, while education contributed 4.8% to GDP at current prices.

Early education expands

The number of schools providing early education services increased 7% to 2,252 in 2025/26. Muscat, North Batinah and Dakhliyah together accounted for 53% of these schools.

The gross kindergarten enrolment rate reached 75% during the 2024/25 academic year. Private schools accounted for 85.5% of kindergarten enrolment, highlighting the dominant role of private providers at this level. Omani children represented 88% of total kindergarten students.

The number of nurseries, however, fell 1.5% in 2025 to 329, with total enrolment standing at 9,548 children. Omani children accounted for 8,044 and expatriate children for 1,504.

The average number of children per nursery declined to 29 from 30 a year earlier. Omanisation among nursery staff increased to 77.5%, compared to 75.2% in 2024, with 1,632 Omani employees and 475 expatriate employees.

Higher education

Higher education institutions admitted 39,194 students in 2024/25, down 11.4% from the previous year. Women accounted for 54.7% of new admissions.

Total higher education enrolment stood at 145,885, with bachelor’s and equivalent programmes accounting for 78%. The gross enrolment rate among 18-22-year-olds was 47.4%.

A total of 9,697 Omani students were studying outside the country, including 57% in foreign countries, 37% in Arab countries and 6% in GCC states.

Higher education institutions produced 32,499 graduates, with the share in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) rising to 33.7% from 30.8%.

Private institutions represented 68% of higher education institutions. Omanisation among academic staff increased to 40% from 37%, while the number of Omani academics rose 12%.

Meanwhile, literacy programmes recorded 2,032 learners in 2025/26, down 13.2% year on year. Women accounted for 99.5% of participants. Adult education programmes had 4,718 learners, with men representing 58.4%.