The Spending Profile
Oman consistently allocates approximately 5-6 percent of GDP to education, placing it among the higher spenders globally and within the GCC. In absolute terms, the education budget exceeds OMR 2 billion annually. This spending funds a comprehensive public education system from pre-school through university, including the Sultan Qaboos University, a network of colleges of technology, and substantial scholarship programmes for overseas study. Per-pupil spending, adjusted for purchasing power, is comparable to upper-middle-income country averages.
The Outcomes Gap
Despite this spending, learning outcomes – as measured by international assessments – fall short. Oman’s TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) scores, while improving, place the country in the lower-middle range internationally, significantly below what spending levels would predict. PISA assessments, where Oman has participated in recent cycles, show similar patterns. Mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling are high, but the quality of learning within those years is the issue. Employers consistently report that graduates lack critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical skills.
Explaining the Disconnect
Several factors explain why high spending has not translated into high outcomes. First, a significant portion of the education budget goes to teacher salaries and administrative costs rather than instructional quality improvement. Second, curriculum content has historically emphasised rote memorisation over analytical thinking. Third, teacher quality and training has been uneven. Fourth, the assessment culture rewards exam performance rather than competency development. Fifth, the guaranteed government employment of the past reduced the incentive for educational excellence – mediocre qualifications still secured comfortable public-sector positions.
The Efficiency Imperative
Improving education outcomes does not necessarily require more spending but rather more effective spending. International evidence shows that teacher quality is the single most important in-school factor for student achievement. Curriculum reform toward competency-based learning, coupled with assessment reform, can transform outcomes within existing budgets. Technology-enhanced learning, when properly implemented, can personalise education and improve engagement. School-level autonomy and accountability, rather than centralised control, enables innovation. The data clearly shows that Oman’s education challenge is about efficiency and quality, not quantity.