Oman's Ministry of Education outlined its priorities for the 2026/2027 academic year, anchoring the strategy in artificial intelligence, curriculum modernisation, and infrastructure investment aligned with Oman Vision 2040. The plan touches 876,117 students across 1,298 government schools and a teaching workforce that now numbers 68,205 educational, administrative, and technical staff.
Education Minister Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shaibani said the ministry's focus includes "improving the quality of school and higher education, strengthening governance and aligning educational outcomes with labour market needs." She described the merger of the former education and higher education portfolios into a single ministry as an institutional transformation designed to create an integrated system from pre-school through higher education.
Infrastructure spending and new facilities
The ministry committed over OMR34 million to physical upgrades. This includes OMR15 million for additions at 40 schools, OMR7 million for renovations at roughly 147 schools, OMR9.5 million for comprehensive maintenance, and OMR2.6 million to refurbish 52 science laboratories. A separate OMR11 million project replaced 96,000 air-conditioning units across schools.
Eighteen new school buildings will open this year to absorb student growth, cut the number of double-shift schools, and replace ageing facilities. The private education sector continues to expand, with the number of private schools expected to climb from 1,264 to 1,366.
AI framework and digital transformation
The ministry will begin implementing an artificial intelligence framework for school education during the new academic year. The rollout concentrates on responsible AI use, teacher training, digital literacy, and pilot projects. Specialised AI laboratories have been equipped in educational directorates to support the effort.
Digital infrastructure has also deepened. The Noor educational platform now operates in all schools, and virtual science laboratories let students in Grades 2 through 12 conduct approximately 387 experiments. The ministry digitised academic records dating from 1970 to 2006.
For educators tracking how AI enters classroom practice, resources like AI for Education and the AI for Teachers learning path offer practical guidance on integrating these tools into teaching workflows.
Curriculum changes and vocational expansion
Eleven new curricula were introduced and six others developed as part of the third phase of the curriculum modernisation programme. Chinese language has been added as an optional subject for Grade 12 in participating schools, while the number of subjects for Grades 7 and 8 dropped from 11 to 10.
Vocational and technical education is expanding into engineering, industrial, travel and tourism, information technology, and business administration tracks. The programme, currently running in four governorates, will extend to South Al Sharqiyah and South Al Batinah, reaching six governorates total.
Workforce and higher education capacity
The ministry completed the appointment of 3,980 teachers - 1,211 men and 2,769 women - and processed 8,048 external transfer requests from Omani staff, approving 2,796. On the higher education side, the Unified Admission Centre offered 34,113 study places, a roughly 17% increase from the previous year. Students receiving offers in the first admission round rose nearly 20% to 33,031.
New facilities opening this year include the Oman College of Dentistry building, the University of Sharqiyah branch in Sur, and the University College of Duqm. The ministry is also preparing the fifth edition of the Oman Science Festival while expanding programmes in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Why this matters for education professionals
The ministry's AI framework rollout means teachers and administrators will encounter new expectations around digital literacy and responsible technology use this year. The reduction in subjects for Grades 7 and 8, combined with the introduction of Chinese as an elective, signals a curriculum that is tightening core requirements while opening space for strategic skill-building. For those involved in vocational programming, the expansion into two additional governorates creates immediate demand for instructors in engineering, IT, and tourism tracks. The 17% increase in higher education admission slots also shifts the pipeline: more students will enter tertiary programmes, and secondary schools will need to adjust career guidance accordingly.
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