Overview
The regulatory environment governing Oman’s education sector has undergone significant reform under Vision 2040. Key legislative changes include the Foreign Capital Investment Law (2019), updated Commercial Companies Law, and sector-specific regulations aimed at improving ease of doing business. Oman’s ranking in the World Bank Doing Business index improved notably, though further regulatory modernisation is needed.
Key Indicators
| Indicator | Current | 2040 Target |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Regulator | Sector ministry | Enhanced governance |
| FDI Framework | Open with conditions | Fully liberalised |
| Licensing Complexity | Moderate | Streamlined |
Analysis
Regulatory reform in the education sector balances investor attraction with national interest protection. The sector’s regulatory framework is administered by relevant ministries with oversight from the Supreme Council for Planning. MOE, MOHE, SQU, GUtech, University of Nizwa, Oman Medical College, OAAA operate within a licensing regime that has been progressively simplified. The introduction of the Invest Easy portal has reduced business setup time from weeks to days. However, inter-agency coordination remains a bottleneck, with overlapping mandates between sector regulators and cross-cutting bodies like the Environmental Authority and Labour Ministry.
Challenges
Regulatory complexity and enforcement inconsistency remain key concerns. Skills mismatch between graduates and labour market needs, low STEM enrolment (~18 percent of tertiary students), quality assurance gaps in private institutions, limited research output (0.3 percent of GCC total), and teacher retention in remote governorates. Additionally, the pace of regulation often lags behind technological and market developments, creating uncertainty for first movers.
Opportunities
Regulatory sandboxes, digital permitting platforms, and outcome-based regulation can unlock growth. EdTech platforms for blended learning, international branch campus partnerships, TVET expansion aligned with manufacturing and logistics needs, research commercialisation through SQU Innovation Park, and lifelong learning programmes for workforce reskilling.
Vision 2040 Targets
Place two universities in QS top 200; raise STEM enrolment to 35 percent; achieve 95 percent secondary completion rate; triple research output; establish Oman as a regional education hub attracting 50,000 international students.