Policy · Qatar
Qatar hands land to four private schools for 5,000 places under partnership scheme
Investors will build and run the four schools on state land for 25 years, with about QR1.48 billion of private money behind them.
Qatar's Ministry of Education and Higher Education signed contracts in Doha on 22 October 2026 giving government land to four private school operators, which will build schools for about 5,000 pupils.
The winning companies will finance, design, build, run and maintain the schools. The state provides the land and the infrastructure around it.
Private capital and running costs over the 25-year term come to about QR1.48 billion (about US$406 million), the Qatar News Agency reported.
The four schools
- Indian Islamic School, Al Wukair, Indian curriculum
- Cardiff International School, Al Wukair, Egyptian curriculum
- Pearl Podar School, Al Mansoura, Indian curriculum
- Al Zaytoun International School, Al Sailiya, Indian curriculum
All four will be co-educational, teach every stage of schooling and charge what the ministry called affordable fees. No opening dates or fee levels were announced.
Omar Abdulaziz Al Naama, the ministry's assistant undersecretary for private education affairs, signed for the minister, Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater. The commerce minister and the head of the Public Works Authority, Ashghal, also attended.
The ministry, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ashghal judged the bids together.
Site choice and investor incentives
Mr Al Naama said the ministry picked the locations after studying population density and where families live across the country, according to the Qatar Tribune.
Investors in the scheme get customs exemptions, relief from electricity and water charges, land and school buildings, textbooks, and education vouchers for Qatari pupils who enrol, he said.
Saleh Majed Al Khulaifi, assistant undersecretary at the commerce ministry, said the project showed the state wanted "an investment environment that stimulates the private sector".
Dr Rania Mohammed, who leads the national programme for private-sector partnerships in education, said more partnerships would be announced soon, The Peninsula reported.
The private sector
Qatar has 354 private schools and kindergartens. They teach more than 271,090 pupils across 25 curricula and employ 25,372 people.
Mr Al Naama called the four schools "a valuable addition to Qatar's education system" that would widen the choice open to families.
Sources: 3 pages
- MOEHE Signs Contracts for Four New Private Schools to Add 5,000 Student Places, Qatar News Agency
- Education ministry signs contracts to establish four private schools with 5,000 students, Qatar Tribune
- MoEHE signs contracts to build, operate four private schools, providing 5,000 student seats, The Peninsula
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