Overview
Education reform is central to both Oman’s Vision 2040 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Both countries are investing heavily in human capital development, but they face different challenges related to scale, quality, and alignment with labour market needs.
Oman’s Education System
Oman has achieved near-universal primary and secondary enrolment, with 35 public and private higher education institutions serving approximately 120,000 students. Sultan Qaboos University is the flagship institution. Oman invests roughly 5 percent of GDP in education. Key challenges include improving education quality, aligning curricula with private sector needs, strengthening STEM education, and reducing reliance on government employment for graduates.
Saudi Arabia’s Education System
Saudi Arabia’s education system serves over 6 million students across 30,000 schools and 70 universities. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a world-class research institution. Saudi Arabia has reformed curricula to reduce religious content and increase STEM and critical thinking. The Kingdom has invested in overseas scholarship programmes and is developing a vocational training system through TVTC.
Key Differences
Saudi Arabia’s system is far larger in absolute scale but faces similar quality challenges. Saudi Arabia has invested more in research universities and international partnerships. Oman’s system is more compact and potentially easier to reform. Both countries struggle with graduate employability and the mismatch between educational outputs and private sector requirements. Female education participation is high in both countries.
Verdict / Bottom Line
Both nations must prioritise education quality over access, which has largely been achieved. Strengthening STEM education, developing vocational pathways, and creating stronger university-industry linkages are common priorities. Oman’s smaller system size offers an advantage in implementing targeted reforms. Both countries should benchmark against high-performing Asian education systems.