UAE schools start global hunt for talent with 900 vacancies to fill

Major school developers look farther afield for staff before new academic year begins

Return for the spring term at the Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Hundreds of jobs are on offer at private schools in the UAE, with the new academic year to start in August.

There are about 700 roles advertised in Dubai, more than 130 in Abu Dhabi, and dozens of vacancies in the Northern Emirates, according to Tes, formerly known as The Times Educational Supplement. Major UAE school developers such as Gems and Taaleem are on the lookout for teachers.

How are UAE schools recruiting amid a global shortage?

School operators are looking farther afield than they have in the past to search for skilled professionals amid a global teacher shortage. Unesco’s global report on teachers in 2024 revealed an urgent need for 44 million primary and secondary teachers by 2030. Global attrition rates, which measure employees' departures, among primary school teachers have practically doubled from 4.62 per cent in 2015 to 9.06 per cent in 2022.

Gems Education is looking for trained teachers through recruitment initiatives in so-called feeder countries, such as Australia, Singapore and New Zealand. Dave Coakley, senior vice president of human resources at Gems Education, said the group aimed to finish recruiting staff by June, in time for the new academic year.

“We recruit from every corner of the planet and in recent years have expanded our search for great teaching talent to new and emerging markets and increased our presence in places like Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as New Zealand and Australia going forward," said Mr Coakley.

"India has long been a major recruitment country for us, plus the UK, US and Canada. We use the latest technology to find our way as quickly as possible to top talent.

“We hold regular visits to the feeder countries to hold face-to-face meetings with our shortlisted candidates from overseas and have found this still the most effective way of ensuring we find the right teachers for our schools.”

Taaleem, a major school developer in the Emirates, has launched its 2025 recruitment campaign, which includes hosting and attending international recruitment fairs, such as recent events in the United States for US curriculum teachers, and an upcoming fair in London for UK-trained educators.

Taaleem also organises an annual UAE Recruitment Fair, where school leaders meet prospective candidates.

“In response to the global teacher shortage, the group has taken a proactive, global approach, recruiting talent from various regions and across multiple curriculums [US, British and International Baccalaureate]," said Maryam Ali, head of human resources at school operations at Taaleem.

“Taaleem also focuses on supporting teacher well-being and professional growth to retain high-calibre staff, recognising that retention is just as crucial as recruitment in addressing workforce shortages. In light of the global teacher shortage, Taaleem regularly conducts market analyses to maintain highly competitive compensation packages.

"While exact salary figures remain confidential, Taaleem’s benefits typically include professional development and career advancement opportunities, wellness programmes, education allowances, as well as furnished accommodation and travel allowances for overseas hire. This comprehensive approach aims to both attract and retain talented educators in an increasingly competitive global market.”

What kind of jobs are on offer?

There are openings for vacancies across the country for teachers specialising in sciences, maths and languages. For a majority of openings, applications are due by the end of January and work will start in August.

Typically, requirements for a new teacher include an internationally recognised teaching qualification (such as a bachelor’s degree in education, PGCE, or an equivalent certification) and relevant subject or curriculum expertise. Specific criteria vary by position and curriculum, but schools expect teachers to have a strong subject knowledge, effective classroom management skills, and a commitment to professional development.

What salaries can teachers expect?

Some major private school groups have reassessed teacher’s salaries and benefits to keep up with an increased cost of living.

"Taaleem have been really responsive to the changing sort of picture of Dubai in terms of the cost of living rise and have recalibrated their package offering in terms of the housing benefits for all teachers, not just for new teachers, but all teachers over the last couple of years, which has been really great, I think, to make sure that we remain competitive in the market," said Amy Falhi, founding principal at Dubai British School Mira, which will open this year.

"I think that already sets us in good stead for applicants coming in. For teachers, the salary is really important, but I think it's also really important for teachers to know that they're working somewhere where they feel valued and they're going to be developed as practitioners as well."

At private schools, salaries vary but typically teachers can expect to make between Dh9,000 and Dh14,000 ($2,450 to $3,812) a month, depending on experience and qualifications. Top-end private schools tend to pay between Dh16,000 to Dh17,000 a month, plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000.

Entry-level public school teachers can expect a salary of Dh4,000 to Dh13,500, which can go up to about Dh23,000 for experienced teachers. They also get housing allowances.

Head of school reveals challenges of hiring staff

Ms Falhi said her school needed to hire 40 to 50 staff members in the next few months. "We've had around 3,000 applications for those roles, which has been quite good, but the quality of the candidates has been strongest from within the UAE," she said. "Most of the people that we're interviewing are actually from within the UAE, rather than globally."

In its first year, the school will open from foundation stage one to year six. "Our biggest challenge right now is finding high quality specialist teachers," she added. "So art, music and languages are more limited in terms of the number of applications that come in through and then the number of quality applications that are coming through as well, versus a typical primary classroom teacher, where the field is much stronger."

She said Taaleem would organise a recruitment fair in London in January, with another to take place in the UAE, which would present opportunities for school officials to meet candidates.