GEMS Education hosts the UAE’s largest teacher induction day as 1,600 new teachers join its ranks

• GEMS Awareness Day is an annual induction event for GEMS teachers
• New hires join a cohort of more than 7,000 teachers from 82 countries
• 120,000 students from 165 nationalities will start the new academic term

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: GEMS Education welcomed 1,600 new teachers across its schools in the UAE on Thursday 26 August 2021, at its annual induction event, GEMS Awareness Day, ahead of the return to school for the new academic term on Sunday.

Following changes in the COVID-19 regulations, the event was held in-person at Atlantis, The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, and featured addresses by GEMS Education Founder and Chairman, Mr Sunny Varkey, and Group CEO, Mr Dino Varkey.

By far the region’s biggest private K-12 education provider and employer, GEMS will be educating more than 120,000 students of 165 nationalities in total who will attend its 43 schools in the UAE, staffed by some 7,000 high quality teachers from 82 countries boosted by the new intake.

Many of the new hires have relocated from abroad, chiefly from the UK, the US and India, and despite travel delays and restrictions, are now settling into life in the UAE, and their school communities.

GEMS Awareness Day completes a week of school-based engagement activities. It is also an opportunity for the new joiners to hear from GEMS’ senior leadership team and educationalists about the group’s core values and achievements.

Dino Varkey, GEMS Education Group CEO, said: “I am delighted to welcome our new teachers to the GEMS Education family today as they begin their careers with us. Last academic year, our students and teachers faced unprecedented disruptions, and yet delivered our best-ever academic results. I am certain that this new cohort of teachers will further strengthen our purpose to ensure that every student reaches their full potential.”

Tammy Murphy, Vice President, Chair of GEMS’ Education Committee and Superintendent/CEO of GEMS Dubai American Academy, said “There are so many benefits to becoming part of the GEMS family.  One are the amazing students that we have the privilege and responsibility of teaching, and another are the incredible colleagues that you will get to know and admire.”

Sarah Wildbore, a Year 1 teacher from the United Kingdom, who has just joined GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis, said: “My start at GEMS has been great, the WSO staff have been so welcoming and supportive, and GEMS Awareness Day really helps to put everything we’ve been learning about the company into context. I’m now so excited to meet the students next week and set off on this big new journey with GEMS in my career.”

The new intake of teachers span the full range of year groups from kindergarten to post-16, and cover British, US and Indian curricula.