Dubai: A total of 27,284 teachers in Dubai's private schools will return to work on Monday as schools enter the final stage of preparations for the 2026-2027 academic year ahead of students' return.Teaching and administrative staff will report to schools before students, with the period dedicated to finalising academic plans, reviewing study schedules, preparing classrooms and facilities, and organising arrangements for the first week of the new school year.According to data from Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) for 2025, the private school workforce comprises 27,284 teachers, with 78% female and 22% male, highlighting the strong presence of women in the education sector.Schools typically use the pre-opening period to hold meetings for teaching and administrative teams, finalise class allocations and teaching schedules, review curricula, and ensure the readiness of classrooms, laboratories and other educational facilities.Indian teachers top nationality listAccording to the data, 23,014 teachers belong to the 10 most common nationalities working in Dubai's private schools.Indian teachers represent the largest group, followed by British, Egyptian and Irish teachers.The remaining nationalities in the top 10 are Syrian, Pakistani, Jordanian, Filipino, Lebanese and American.The diversity reflects the international nature of Dubai's private education sector, which brings together teachers from a wide range of cultural and educational backgrounds, mirroring the diversity of students and curricula across the emirate.Female teachers dominate workforceFemale teachers account for around 78% of the total teaching workforce, compared with 22% male teachers.Based on those percentages, the estimated number of female teachers is approximately 21,000, while male teachers number around 6,000.Primary schools employ largest share of teachersThe distribution of teachers by educational stage shows that the primary level accounts for 48% of the total teaching workforce.Secondary education follows with 34%, while 11% of teachers work in the pre-primary stage and 7% in middle school education.Diverse expertise supports school readinessThe wide range of nationalities represented across Dubai's private school sector adds an important dimension to preparations for the new academic year.Schools use the pre-term period to align teaching staff on institutional policies, academic standards and operational procedures, ensuring consistency across the workforce despite differing educational and professional backgrounds.Education leaders say this diversity enriches the learning environment and contributes to the global character of Dubai's private school system.
