The education industry is expected to reach $10 trillion by 2030, from $7 trillion currently, a sector expert said.
The growing shortage of teachers, however, could pose a serious challenge to the industry’s fast-paced growth, Omar Chihane, founder and CEO of Englease, a UAE-based edtech venture,said.
“One of the main challenges [for the growth of the industry] is the global teacher shortage, with an estimated 69 million more teachers needed to achieve universal basic education,” Chihane said, while speaking at the Tech Stage – one of the events of the ongoing Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2022.
“Additionally, many governments around the world are reducing expenditure on education, making it difficult for schools to adopt new technologies and teaching methods,” he said.
Chihane, however, said despite these challenges, the future of education lies in the integration of technology, and specifically, learning with a digital teacher.
“By embracing new technologies and teaching methods, we can create a more accessible, flexible, and inclusive education system for all students,” he said.
With the convenience of online learning and the ability to spend full days virtually, students can receive a high-quality education without being limited by geography or time constraints, he added.
Chihane said that until the Covid-19 pandemic forced a sudden shift to remote learning for millions of students around the world, the model of education has remained largely unchanged.
“This shift has opened up not only the possibility for a decentralised education system, it has also created opportunities for remote education, where students can learn at their own pace and schedule, with the support of a digital teacher,” he said.
Tech Stage, the annual event, held at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) on December 17-18, included a range of activities such as keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and networking events.
The event also featured an innovation competition where startups and entrepreneurs could pitch their ideas and showcase their products and services.
Marwan Char, co-CEO of GCC at Kavak, speaking at another session in the Tech Stage, highlighted the importance of choosing a co-founder who can uplift and support a startup founder when the challenges of entrepreneurship become overwhelming.
“The value of finding a mentor who has already navigated the challenges of starting a business must never be undermined. It is as important as selecting a profitable business model and executing it with confidence to ensure sustainability and profitability,” he said.
Abdulaziz Al Loughani, chairman and CEO of Floward, discussed the importance of attracting the right talents to startup businesses.
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