Overview
Oman invests significantly in education, but the relationship between spending and outcomes is not straightforward. Examining both sides reveals efficiency gaps and opportunities to improve the return on educational investment.
Education Spending in Oman
Oman allocates approximately 5 percent of GDP to education, comparable to OECD averages. Government spending covers free public schooling from primary through secondary level, subsidised higher education, and scholarship programmes for overseas study. The education budget supports school infrastructure, teacher salaries, curriculum development, and vocational training. Per-student spending has increased steadily over two decades.
Education Outcomes in Oman
Education outcomes present a mixed picture. Oman has achieved near-universal enrolment and literacy rates above 95 percent. However, international assessments including PISA and TIMSS show Omani students performing below global averages in mathematics, science, and reading. Graduate employability remains a challenge, with significant skills mismatches between university outputs and private sector requirements. Female educational attainment often exceeds male performance.
Key Differences
The disconnect between spending and outcomes suggests efficiency rather than resource adequacy is the primary challenge. High spending on infrastructure and salaries does not automatically translate into learning quality. Teacher training, curriculum relevance, and pedagogical methods may be more important determinants of outcomes than total spending. Spending on quantity of education has outpaced investment in quality.
Verdict / Bottom Line
Oman should shift focus from spending volume to spending effectiveness. Priorities include improving teacher quality through rigorous selection and ongoing professional development, updating curricula to emphasise critical thinking and practical skills, strengthening STEM education, and creating robust assessment systems that track learning outcomes rather than just enrolment. International benchmarking against high-performing education systems is essential.